Can non-traditional names be written in Hebrew?

Shirley: Shin, resh, lamed, yud
Doris: Daleth, vav, resh, yud, samech

Or something like that. You can transliterate anything in to practically anything.

@Rarebear are names like Rebecca and Tamar also transliterated? If not, will transliterating only some names appear odd in formal invitations?

@anartist Right. Rebecca and Tamar are English transliterations from the Hebrew.

The problem with Hebrew is the lack of definitive spelling and the scarcity of vowels. I think that, while you could phonetically transliterate any name, you run the risk of accidentally spelling an existing word. I’d double check meaning after transliterating to make sure the name doesn’t translate into something derogatory.

Non-traditional names certainly can be written in Hebrew, but the spellings may vary widely. Some may use an ‘aleph’, while others use an ‘ayin’. Some may use one ‘ayin’, while others use two ‘ayins.’ This question presents itself when a ketubah (Jewish wedding document) or get (Jewish document of divorce) is used and one or more names to be written is a non-Hebrew name. The question may also come up when a family seeks to inscribe a name on a monument in Hebrew, and the departed didn’t have a Hebrew name, or there is a wish to inscribe a non-Hebrew name in Hebrew lettering. For matters of importance, it’s best to consult with a rabbi knowledgeable in this area.

Actually, word back from the shul that wants this project is that there are too many difrficulties. Probably just those you mention @Pepshort . Thank you.

@anartist my pleasure. One additional point— while Rebecca is an anglicization of the Hebrew ‘Rivkah’ (not a transliteration), Tamar is a transliteration from the Biblical name, as it appears in Genesis and the Book of Samuel.

@Pepshort I know. My mother wanted to name me Tamar as it is an old family name on her side but my father refused because the biblical Tamar was a prostitute.
Sad. I would have liked the name Tamar.

@anartist Tamar was an exceedingly righteous woman who merited to give birth to twins—one of whom was the progenitor of King David. Tamar acted like a prostitute with Judah, but she was justified in doing so because Judah unfairly excluded her from being attached to the family of Jacob. Nevertheless, Jewish tradition teaches that parents are imbued with a spirit of prophecy at the time they select a name for their child; I’m certain that the name you have is the right one for you :)

What @Rarebear said is correct, of course; anything can be transliterated into any language, pretty much. Biblical names are, obviously, Hebrew – hence they are biblical. Thus, I wouldn’t transliterate them back to Hebrew, however, I have seen “Dave” spelled like that in Hebrew – accentuating the fact that he likes to be called Dave, his nickname, and not David. It then must be transliterated using Dalet, two yods and a Bet (vet).

@crazyivan The problem with Hebrew is the lack of definitive spelling and the scarcity of vowels. Actually, Hebrew’s spelling is clear and precise, unlike English. How do you pronounce cough, dough, light, know…

Hebrew has “nikud” which adds the correct pronunciation to the word; once learnt, usually by grade 2–3, textbooks drop it and one simply recognizes the word without them. Still, many newspapers and books include them once in a while in a word that could be mispronounced, and thus misunderstood, for clarification.

Helpful? Questions?

They can. Here’s my go at it. Try using the phonetic layout at www.mikledet.com and just typing the name in English, without the vowels.

Shirley – שרלי
Doris – דוריס
Brooke – ברוק
Beverly – בורלי
Claudette – כלאדת
Zen – זאן