lastnamegenerators

Hebrew Last Names

These Hebrew last names are drawn from the Hebrew language itself, from ancient names like Cohen and Levi to modern Israeli names such as Tal, Alon and Barak, listed A to Z with Hebrew script and the meaning of each word.

179 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Aharoni אהרוני

    Of Aaron, from aharon

  • Almog אלמוג

    Coral, from almog

  • Alon אלון

    Oak tree, from alon

  • Amir אמיר

    Treetop; also mighty, from amir

  • Amit עמית

    Colleague, friend, from amit

  • Amitai אמיתי

    Truthful, from emet, truth

  • Arad ערד

    Arad, biblical city in the Negev

  • Arbel ארבל

    Mount Arbel in the Galilee

  • Ariel אריאל

    Lion of God, from ari and el

  • Arieli אריאלי

    Of Ariel, from ari and el, lion of God

  • Asher אשר

    Happy, blessed, from asher

  • Ashkenazi אשכנזי

    Of Ashkenaz, German lands, from ashkenaz

  • Avidan אבידן

    My father judged, from avi and dan

  • Avneri אבנרי

    Of Avner, from avner, father of light

  • Avraham אברהם

    Abraham, father of many

  • Avrahami אברהמי

    Of Abraham, from avraham

  • Ayalon אילון

    Ayalon valley; from ayal, deer

B

  • Bar-Ilan בר-אילן

    Son of the tree, from ilan

  • Bar-Lev בר-לב

    Son of the heart, from bar and lev

  • Bar-On בר-און

    Son of strength, from on

  • Bar-Yosef בר-יוסף

    Son of Joseph, with Aramaic bar

  • Bar-Zohar בר-זוהר

    Son of radiance, from zohar

  • Barak ברק

    Lightning, from barak

  • Bareket ברקת

    Emerald, from bareket

  • Barzilai ברזילי

    Man of iron, from barzel

  • Bavli בבלי

    Babylonian, from bavel

  • Bechor בכור

    Firstborn, from bechor

  • Ben-Aharon בן-אהרון

    Son of Aaron

  • Ben-Ami בן-עמי

    Son of my people, from ben ami

  • Ben-Ari בן-ארי

    Son of the lion, from ari

  • Ben-Artzi בן-ארצי

    Son of my land, from artzi

  • Ben-David בן-דוד

    Son of David, from ben david

  • Ben-Dor בן-דור

    Son of the generation, from dor

  • Ben-Eliezer בן-אליעזר

    Son of Eliezer, my God is help

  • Ben-Gurion בן-גוריון

    Son of Gurion, a name linked to gur, lion cub

  • Ben-Haim בן-חיים

    Son of Haim, from chaim, life

  • Ben-Moshe בן-משה

    Son of Moses

  • Ben-Natan בן-נתן

    Son of Nathan, from natan, gave

  • Ben-Nun בן-נון

    Son of Nun, as Joshua was called

  • Ben-Porat בן-פורת

    Fruitful son, from porat

  • Ben-Shimon בן-שמעון

    Son of Shimon

  • Ben-Tov בן-טוב

    Son of goodness, from tov

  • Ben-Yehuda בן-יהודה

    Son of Judah

  • Ben-Yosef בן-יוסף

    Son of Joseph

  • Ben-Zion בן-ציון

    Son of Zion, from tziyon

  • Ben-Zvi בן-צבי

    Son of Tzvi, from tzvi, deer

C

  • Carmel כרמל

    Mount Carmel; God's vineyard, from kerem el

  • Cohen כהן

    Priest, from kohen

D

  • Dagan דגן

    Grain, from dagan

  • Dan דן

    He judged, from dan

  • Dayan דיין

    Rabbinical judge, from dayan

  • Dotan דותן

    Dothan, biblical place

  • Dror דרור

    Swallow; freedom, from dror

E

  • Efrat אפרת

    Efrat, biblical name for Bethlehem

  • Eilat אילת

    Eilat, port city; linked to elah, terebinth

  • Eitan איתן

    Strong, steadfast, from eitan

  • Erez ארז

    Cedar, from erez

  • Eshel אשל

    Tamarisk tree, from eshel

  • Eshkol אשכול

    Cluster of grapes, from eshkol

  • Even אבן

    Stone, from even

G

  • Gabbai גבאי

    Synagogue warden, from gabbai

  • Gad גד

    Fortune, luck, from gad

  • Gafni גפני

    Of the vine, from gefen

  • Gal גל

    Wave, from gal

  • Galil גליל

    Galilee, from galil

  • Galili גלילי

    Galilean, from galil

  • Gefen גפן

    Grapevine, from gefen

  • Gideon גדעון

    Gideon; hewer, from gidea

  • Gilad גלעד

    Gilead region, from gilad

  • Gilboa גלבוע

    Mount Gilboa, from gilboa

  • Givon גבעון

    Gibeon, biblical city; from giva, hill

  • Golan גולן

    The Golan region, from golan

  • Golani גולני

    Of the Golan, from golan

  • Gur גור

    Lion cub, from gur

H

  • Hacohen הכהן

    The priest, from ha-kohen

  • Hadar הדר

    Splendor, glory, from hadar

  • Hadari הדרי

    Splendid, from hadar

  • Hadas הדס

    Myrtle, from hadas

  • Haim חיים

    Life, from chaim

  • Halevi הלוי

    The Levite, from ha-levi

  • Hanegbi הנגבי

    The one from the Negev, from negev

  • Harel הראל

    Mountain of God, from har el

  • Hazan חזן

    Cantor, from hazan

  • Hermon חרמון

    Mount Hermon, from hermon

I

  • Ilan אילן

    Tree, from ilan

  • Ivri עברי

    Hebrew, from ivri

K

  • Kadosh קדוש

    Holy, from kadosh

  • Kahana כהנא

    Priest, from Aramaic kahana

  • Katz כץ

    Acronym of kohen tzedek, righteous priest

  • Katzir קציר

    Harvest, from katzir

  • Kedar קדר

    Kedar, biblical tribe; from kadar, dark

  • Kedem קדם

    Antiquity; the east, from kedem

  • Keshet קשת

    Rainbow; bow, from keshet

  • Kinneret כנרת

    Sea of Galilee, from kinneret

  • Kochavi כוכבי

    Of the star, from kochav

L

  • Lavi לביא

    Lion, from lavi

  • Levanon לבנון

    Lebanon; from lavan, white

  • Levi לוי

    Levite, from levi

  • Livne ליבנה

    White poplar or storax tree, from livneh

M

  • Magen מגן

    Shield, from magen

  • Meir מאיר

    Giving light, from meir

  • Melamed מלמד

    Teacher, from melamed

  • Mizrahi מזרחי

    Easterner, from mizrah, east

  • Moshe משה

    Moses, from moshe

N

  • Nachshon נחשון

    Nahshon, first to enter the Red Sea

  • Nachum נחום

    Comforted, from nachum

  • Naftali נפתלי

    Naphtali, tribe of Israel; my struggle

  • Nagar נגר

    Carpenter, from nagar

  • Natan נתן

    He gave, from natan

  • Navon נבון

    Wise, from navon

  • Neeman נאמן

    Faithful, trustworthy, from ne'eman

  • Negev נגב

    The Negev desert, from negev

  • Nesher נשר

    Eagle, from nesher

  • Nevo נבו

    Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the land

  • Nir ניר

    Plowed field, from nir

  • Nitzan ניצן

    Bud, blossom, from nitzan

O

  • Ofer עופר

    Fawn, young deer, from ofer

  • Ofir אופיר

    Ophir, biblical land of gold

  • Or אור

    Light, from or

  • Oren אורן

    Pine tree, from oren

  • Oz עוז

    Strength, from oz

P

  • Paz פז

    Fine gold, from paz

  • Peres פרס

    Bearded vulture, from peres

  • Porat פורת

    Fruitful, from porat

R

  • Rabin רבין

    From rav, rabbi, via Rabinovich

  • Raz רז

    Secret, from raz

  • Rimon רימון

    Pomegranate, from rimon

  • Ronen רונן

    Singing joyfully, from ronen

  • Rotem רותם

    White broom shrub, from rotem

S

  • Sadeh שדה

    Field, from sadeh

  • Sagiv שגיב

    Exalted, lofty, from sagiv

  • Sapir ספיר

    Sapphire, from sapir

  • Sasson ששון

    Joy, gladness, from sasson

  • Schatz שץ

    Acronym of shaliach tzibur, prayer leader

  • Segal סגל

    Acronym of segan levi, assistant Levite

  • Sela סלע

    Rock, cliff, from sela

  • Sephardi ספרדי

    Of Sepharad, Spain, from sefarad

  • Shaked שקד

    Almond, from shaked

  • Shalev שלו

    Tranquil, calm, from shalev

  • Shalom שלום

    Peace, from shalom

  • Shamir שמיר

    Thorn; hard flint, from shamir

  • Sharon שרון

    The Sharon coastal plain, from sharon

  • Shaul שאול

    Saul; asked for, from shaul

  • Shefer שפר

    Beauty, pleasantness, from shefer

  • Shemesh שמש

    Sun, from shemesh

  • Shimon שמעון

    Simeon; he heard, from shama

  • Shimoni שמעוני

    Of Shimon, from shimon

  • Shochat שוחט

    Ritual slaughterer, from shochet

  • Shoham שוהם

    Onyx, from shoham

  • Snir שניר

    Snir, an ancient name for Mount Hermon

  • Sofer סופר

    Scribe, from sofer

T

  • Tal טל

    Dew, from tal

  • Tamar תמר

    Date palm, from tamar

  • Tamari תמרי

    Of the date palm, from tamar

  • Tamir תמיר

    Tall, upright, from tamir

  • Tavor תבור

    Mount Tabor, from tavor

  • Teimani תימני

    Yemenite, from teiman

  • Tzadok צדוק

    Righteous, from tzadok

  • Tzemach צמח

    Plant, sprout, from tzemach

  • Tzur צור

    Rock, from tzur

  • Tzuriel צוריאל

    God is my rock, from tzur and el

  • Tzvi צבי

    Deer, gazelle, from tzvi

U

  • Uziel עוזיאל

    God is my strength, from oz and el

Y

  • Yaakobi יעקבי

    Of Jacob, from yaakov

  • Yaari יערי

    Of the forest, from yaar

  • Yadin ידין

    He will judge, from yadin

  • Yahalom יהלום

    Diamond, from yahalom

  • Yarden ירדן

    Jordan River, from yarden

  • Yardeni ירדני

    Of the Jordan, from yarden

  • Yarkoni ירקוני

    Of the Yarkon river, from yarok, green

  • Yaron ירון

    He will sing, from yaron

  • Yerushalmi ירושלמי

    Jerusalemite, from yerushalayim

  • Yeshurun ישורון

    Jeshurun, poetic name for Israel, from yashar

  • Yisraeli ישראלי

    Israeli, from yisrael

  • Yitzhaki יצחקי

    Of Isaac, from yitzhak, he will laugh

  • Yona יונה

    Dove, from yona

  • Yosef יוסף

    Joseph; he will add, from yosef

Z

  • Ziv זיו

    Brilliance, radiance, from ziv

  • Zohar זוהר

    Radiance, glow, from zohar

Generate random hebrew surnames

Filter by first letter, length and rarity, add a first name to preview the full name, then copy or save your favorites.

Results (6)

  • Bechor

    בכור

    Firstborn, from bechor

    Jewish

  • Avrahami

    אברהמי

    Of Abraham, from avraham

    Jewish

  • Or

    אור

    Light, from or

    Jewish

  • Natan

    נתן

    He gave, from natan

    Jewish

  • Avneri

    אבנרי

    Of Avner, from avner, father of light

    Jewish

  • Gal

    גל

    Wave, from gal

    Jewish

Saved names

    Names you save will appear here. They stay in this browser only.

    Open the full generator

    What Hebrew last names mean in translation

    Many names in the list are ordinary Hebrew words, and a short vocabulary opens up most of them. Tal (טל) means dew, Alon (אלון) oak, Oren (אורן) pine, Erez (ארז) cedar, Shaked (שקד) almond and Rimon (רימון) pomegranate. Barak (ברק) is lightning, Zohar (זוהר) radiance, Tzur (צור) rock and Sadeh (שדה) field. Dror (דרור) can mean a swallow-like bird or freedom, a double meaning many families liked.

    Other names come from places and ideas tied to the land of Israel. Harel (הראל) means the mountain of God, Kedem (קדם) the east or ancient times and Shalev (שלו) calm, while Golan, Arad, Tavor, Hermon and Kinneret are real places, and Carmel is a mountain range whose name is often explained as the vineyard of God. Short names like these were chosen because they are easy to say, carry a clear meaning and sound at home in modern Hebrew, which is why they appear so often among Israeli-born families.

    Biblical names and the Ben pattern

    A second large group uses biblical given names as family names. Avraham, Yosef, Moshe, Shimon, Shaul and Natan are common among families from North Africa and the Middle East, where a father's name often became the surname. Their meanings are old: Yosef means he will add, Shimon he has heard, Natan he gave, Haim life and Shalom peace. Adding -i makes a family form, so Avrahami, Yitzhaki and Aharoni mean of Abraham, of Isaac and of Aaron.

    The prefix Ben means son of, and modern Hebrew names often use it with a father's or ancestor's name, as in Ben-David, Ben-Haim and Ben-Moshe. Some go further: Ben-Ami means son of my people, Ben-Zvi son of the deer and Ben-Nun recalls Joshua son of Nun. Ben-Yehuda recalls Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the reviver of spoken Hebrew, who was born Perlman. In English these names are usually written with a hyphen.

    Reading and spelling Hebrew last names

    Hebrew is written from right to left and usually without vowels, so one written name can be read in more than one way and transliterated in several spellings. The letter tsadi gives Tzur, Zur and Tsur, the letter chet gives Haim, Chaim and Hayim, and the priestly name appears as Cohen, Kohen or Kohn. The Hebrew script shown beside each name in the list is the best way to confirm that two spellings are really the same name.

    The search box works on the Latin spelling and the meanings, so typing tree, rock or peace brings up the nature and virtue names together. If a name seems missing, try a shorter piece, such as ben, to see every Ben- name at once, or a variant with h in place of ch. For a character, a short nature name like Tal or Alon suits someone born in Israel, while a biblical name like Yosef hints at a North African or Middle Eastern family.

    Frequently asked questions

    Do Hebrew last names include German and Yiddish ones?

    Mostly not. Many Jewish families carry German, Yiddish, Slavic or Spanish names, such as Weiss, Rabinowitz or Toledano, but these are not Hebrew words. The focus here is on names that come from the Hebrew language itself, including biblical names, priestly names and the modern Hebrew names adopted in Israel.

    Why did many Israelis change their names?

    In the early decades of the state, taking a Hebrew name was seen as part of building a new national life, and public officials and army officers were strongly encouraged to do it. Levi Eshkol was born Shkolnik, Ariel Sharon was born Scheinermann and Ehud Barak was born Brog. Many ordinary families made the same choice.

    What does Mizrahi mean?

    Mizrahi (מזרחי) means eastern or easterner. As a surname it was often given to Jews who came from lands to the east, and the word is also used today for Jewish communities from the Middle East and North Africa. It is one of the most common surnames in Israel.

    How do I pronounce Hebrew names correctly?

    Most Hebrew names are stressed on the last syllable, so Alon is a-LON and Shaked is sha-KED. The letters ch and kh stand for a throaty sound like the ch in Scottish loch, and tz is said as in pizza. Older diaspora pronunciations sometimes stress the first syllable instead.

    More last name lists