Koppel

יַעֲקֹב, קאָפל

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Yiddish
• Meaning: heel, follower

• Koppel is a Yiddish diminutive of Jacob, meaning it carries the full patriarchal weight of one of the Torah's most important figures in a cozy, affectionate package. Jacob, whose name means "heel" or "follower," was the cunning and complex patriarch who wrestled an angel and fathered the twelve tribes of Israel. Koppel takes all of that grand narrative and makes it feel like a warm bowl of matzah ball soup.

  The whimsical sound of this name makes you smile the moment you hear it. Legendary journalist Ted Koppel, the Jewish son of German refugees who became the face of "Nightline" for a quarter century, gave this surname real gravitas in American life. Playful, substantial, and steeped in Ashkenazi heritage — it sounds like a warm hug from your zayde.

• English Equivalent:
  Jacob
• Hebrew Equivalent:
  Yaakov
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Rochel
  ,
  Leah
  ,
  Isaac
  ,
  Iser