Is there value in gender-adapted names?

Question

There are various Hebrew names in use that are feminizations of pre-existing masculine names. (The opposite case may exist as well, but I can't think of any examples.)

Examples:

Yaakova
Rafaella
Aharona

Do these names have the same intrinsic value (whatever that is) as the original forms of the names? Are there any sources that endorse or discourage this practice?

My mother once taught a Shmuela. ♫ "Shmuela de-Ville .. Shmuela de-Ville ...♫" — Shalom, Jun 25 '12 at 20:11
I know a Yaakova, a Davida, and a few people named M'ira (although that might be taking the feminine verb rather than feminizing the men's name). I've never heard of Titzchak, Taakov, Mosha, or Emraham. — msh210, Jun 25 '12 at 21:12
What about names in the other direction like Chuld or Devor? — Double AA, Jun 25 '12 at 21:27
I'm still wondering what "intrinsic value" means. If it's just that these new names are not found in Tanach, then we can ask the same question on a whole genre of Yiddish names such as Hirsh, Wolf, Sheyna, Mushka, and so forth. (And, no, I've never met anyone named So Forth.) [Someone had to say it...] — Shemmy, Jun 27 '12 at 00:34
@DoubleAA Note that Yaakova is itself a Biblical name. See Divrei HaYamim 1:4:36 — Chaim, Jul 17 '17 at 02:26

score 13 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 27 '12 at 21:49

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Per Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu it is not proper to give names such as Rephaela, Daniela, etc.

כמו כן ראוי לא לקרוא לבת בשם הדומה בשורשו לשם של בן, כמו: רפאלה, דניאלה, שרונה, יוספה וכדומה. שזה עלול להפריע לילדה כשתגדל להיזכר תמיד על שם פלוני שעל שמו היא קרויה.‏

edited Jun 27 '12 at 21:49

msh210

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answered Jun 27 '12 at 20:49

Gershon Gold

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+1. I wonder whether "להיזכר" was meant as a pun. – msh210 Jun 27 '12 at 21:49
So no Daniella, but what about Danielle? That is more commonplace, isn't it? – Adam Mosheh Jun 28 '12 at 03:54
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@AdamMosheh ( sorry for the late response! ) Do you see a reason why the above logic shouldn't also apply to Danielle? – MTL Oct 01 '14 at 14:50
Yes. You don't? – Adam Mosheh Oct 03 '14 at 19:15
שזה עלול להפריע לילדה כשתגדל להיזכר תמיד על שם פלוני שעל שמו היא קרויה.----- What does this mean? – Avi M Mar 03 '19 at 19:45

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 10 '13 at 12:47

We see in the Torah that לאה named her daughter דינה - yet דינה's half brother was called דן!

So there seems to be no general issue with it.

That said - if there is some spiritual value in naming after a person, then that value is probably lost when morphing the name into something similar-sounding.

But if the reason for the name is to simply remember somebody - then why not?

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 28 '12 at 03:43

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A growing multitude of Jewish people seem to be advancing this phenomenon, so it can't be a bad thing. After all - Minhag Yisrael Torah Hee!

answered Jun 28 '12 at 03:43

Adam Mosheh

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Isn't it ''Hu''? – Double AA Jun 28 '12 at 04:38
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@DoubleAA, that's why this is such a confusing topic! – Seth J Jul 02 '12 at 13:59

Is there value in gender-adapted names?

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