Expert: Gaddy Yaari - 6/21/2009

Question
Sir, My father's name was Henry. He was named after his grandfather Heinrich. While my father was Jewish, this is not a Jewish name. For my son to be, I would like to have a link to my father in his name - on a spiritual level you know this is important for the connection of their souls - but I want to keep the name in Hebrew. Should I use some variation of Chaim ? I was told Hertzl is equivalent to Henry, but I don't understand that. So, how can there be a Hebrew name link to my father is the question ?

Answer
Alex,

Hertzl won't do, because it a Yiddish name, and not a Hebrew one. The way I look at it, you have two options:

1. Look for a Hebrew name which has the same literal meaning as Henry (home ruler). The equivalent Hebrew name is Shalit - as in Gene Shalit, the film critic. It is pronounced Shah-LEET, and is spelled shin lamed yod tet.

2. Look for any Hebrew name that starts with 'H'. Many Jewish families in the US hold this custom, where the link is simply the first initial. Two beautiful male names are Hardof (oleander) and Harell (God's mountain).

Hardof, pronounced hahr DAWF, is spelled heh resh dalet vav peh-sofit.

Harell, Pronounced hahr-EL, is spelled heh resh aleph lamed.

All the best,


Gaddy