Are you having a baby in 2026? Mazel tov! If you’re stuck on a baby name, we’re bringing you our second annual list of Jewish baby names that may trend in the coming year. We’ve studied the 2026 baby name trends predicted by baby-naming experts — yes, there are baby-naming experts — and combed through the 2025 data on Kveller’s Jewish baby name bank. Here’s our assessment:
Dov
Baby name experts like Colleen Slagen and Nameberry have offered a handful of baby name trends to look out for in 2026, including spiritual names, nature names and short “nickname-proof” names. I would argue that Dov — a Hebrew name meaning “bear” that also works as a nod to the bird — fits the bill for all of those trends. Generally thought of as a boy’s name, this one feels like it could go either way.
Eliana
Eliana, a universally used name that in Hebrew means “my God has answered,” just jumped into the top 10 baby names in the U.S. Expect to see a lot more of it!
Este
Familiar in more religious Jewish circles, Este’s brand is subtly changing, thanks in part to rock star Este Haim. Usually short for Esther, an iconic Jewish figure who barely needs introduction, thanks to her role in the Purim story, the name was popular in the late 1880s and early 1900s. Now, it’s slowly trending upward.
Goldie
A Yiddish name meaning “gold,” Goldie peaked in the 1910s, but she is so back. The name fell out of the top 1,000 in the 1950s, reentered in 2021, and has been climbing ever since. Goldie is right in that sweet spot of feeling vintage and modern at the same time.
Judith
This English form of the Hebrew Yehudit, meaning “Jewish woman,” was one of the top baby names of 1925. The Hundred Year Rule — a baby-naming theory coined by Nameberry founder Pamela Redmond — suggests that it takes 100 years for a name to sound fresh again. In conclusion, it’s time for a Judith revival. Send us lots of pictures of baby Judy!
Kfir
Kfir was the most-searched-for Jewish boy’s name on Kveller’s Jewish baby name bank in 2025, and it’s not hard to understand why. Kfir Bibas was the youngest Israeli hostage kidnapped on October 7, 2023, at less than a year old. He was later murdered with his mother, Shiri, and brother, Ariel, giving the name an indelible significance in Jewish history. Kfir means “lion cub;” lions have long been Jewish symbols of strength.
Lenny
We’re all trying to honor Grandpa or Great-Great-Grandpa Leonard, and I’m here to tell you that Leo is out and Lenny is in. Source: the adorable toddler named Lenny at my daughter’s Jewish preschool.
Marty
Marty is one of those names that didn’t start out Jewish, but was adopted by newly immigrated Jews anglicizing names like Mordechai or Menachem, which is why you might know an older Jewish gentleman or two named Marty. With Martin being in the top baby names of 1926 (see: the Hundred Year Rule, above), combined with the hype surrounding Timothée Chalamet’s role as Jewish table tennis player Marty Mauser (loosely based on real-life Jewish table tennis player Marty Reisman), I predict we’ll see more than a few baby Martys this year.
Ophira/Ofira
On the heels of Taylor Swift’s “Life of a Showgirl,” baby-naming experts are predicting we’ll see a surge in the name Ophelia — as in, the title of the album’s lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia.” But we’re not talking about Ophelia, we’re talking about Ophira, the feminine form of Ophir/Ofir, a Biblical location sometimes translated as “gold.” It doesn’t have the romantic (though ultimately tragic) Shakespearean history of Ophelia, but I think its similar sound could give it a boost among families looking for a unique Jewish name.
Oriel/Orielle
The romantasy (romance fantasy) genre is taking the reading world by storm, and Nameberry predicts an uptick of names that feel like they could be the hero or heroine of a romantasy novel. Oriel is a name with roots across languages, one of which is Hebrew, meaning “light of God.” We think it and its feminine counterpart, Orielle, fit the bill here.
Romi
Across the board, baby name experts are predicting that 2026 is the year of effortlessly cool nickname-proof four-letter names. Romi checks all of those boxes. This Hebrew name meaning “my exaltation” is a popular modern name in Israel and was the 9th most searched name in the Kveller baby name bank in 2025.
Zeev/Ziv and Shai
“Heated Rivalry,” the Netflix show based on the book by the same name, has exploded in popularity recently. Often when a show permeates the zeitgeist, the effect eventually trickles down to baby names. “Heated Rivalry” is a hockey romance, so if you want a Jewish hockey moment to inspire your baby name search, look no further than the names of two professional Jewish hockey players, brothers Zeev and Shai Buium. Zeev means “wolf” in Hebrew and Shai means “gift.” Both names landed in the top 15 of Kveller’s most searched for baby names in 2025.
