Fishel

פֿישל

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Yiddish
• Meaning: fish

• Fishel is a classic Yiddish name meaning "little fish," and it has exactly the kind of offbeat charm you would expect from a name with that origin. It was common in Eastern European Jewish communities for centuries, a friendly, unpretentious name that your great-great-grandfather might well have answered to. There is something wonderfully genuine about it, a name without an ounce of pretension.

  Right in the sweet spot of the Yiddish name revival, this one is unexpected, charming and instantly memorable. Fans of "Shtisel" will recognize its old-world energy from the show's beloved cast of characters. It has a playful quality that works beautifully on a little kid while carrying enough substance to age well — the kind of name that makes everyone who hears it grin.

• Alternate Spellings: Fischel
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Raizel
  ,
  Frayda
  ,
  Mendel
  ,
  Hersh
• Theme: animals