The History of Jews Giving Their Children Both Hebrew and English First Names

Jewish history has always known periods in which double naming existed, always in places in which Jews were relatively well-integrated in the non-Jewish society around them.

By Philologos

Gita Rotenberg writes from Toronto:

“No one seems able to explain to me why most of the Charleses in my life have the Hebrew name of Yehezkel. Any bright ideas?”

Not really. The Hebrew prophet Yeḥezkel is known in English as Ezekiel, and the only Charles I know well enough to ask about the matter wrote back in response to my query:

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Gita Rotenberg writes from Toronto:

“No one seems able to explain to me why most of the Charleses in my life have the Hebrew name of Yehezkel. Any bright ideas?”

Not really. The Hebrew prophet Yeḥezkel is known in English as Ezekiel, and the only Charles I know well enough to ask about the matter wrote back in response to my query:

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