Jacqueline

• Gender: Female
• Origin: Jew-ish
• Meaning: heel, follower

• Jacqueline is what happens when the ancient biblical patriarch Jacob gets a glamorous French makeover. It takes the Hebrew roots of "heel" or "follower" and wraps them in a chic, multi-syllabic silhouette that has captivated parents for generations. The name hit its peak mid-century but has never truly gone away, and its blend of biblical substance and continental style remains irresistible.

  Jewish actress Jackie Tohn, who grew up in a Reform household on Long Island hearing Yiddish at home, plays the fiercely loyal Esther on Netflix's hit Nobody Wants This. An unmistakable air of grace and intelligence radiates from this name, conjuring images of trailblazing women from politics to literature. It gives a child room to grow into its elegance while offering the casual warmth of Jackie for everyday use. That subtle Jacob connection — patriarch to Parisian chic in one graceful leap — is the kind of naming alchemy that never goes out of style.

• Alternate Spellings: Jaclyn, Jacklyn, Jackalyn, Jacqualine, Jacquelene, Jacquelyn(e), Jacquelin(e), Jacquiline, Jacaline
• Hebrew Equivalent:
  Yaakov
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Jacqueline
  ,
  Jessica
  ,
  Jacob
  ,
  Jay