The Ses of Hebrew, Ladino, Yiddish, and other Judaic names

Female names:

Samulina is the Judeo–Anglo–Norman feminine form of Samuel (original Hebrew form Shmuel), which means either “God has heard” or “name of God.” This name is also Faroese.

Sapir means “sapphire” in Hebrew.

Segulah means “treasure” in Hebrew.

Shamira means “guardian, protector” in Hebrew.

Shayna, Shaina, Shoni (Yiddish) derives from the word shein (beautiful).

Shifra means “beautiful” in Hebrew. This is the name of one of the midwives who disobeys Pharaoh’s order to murder all newborn Jewish boys (the other being Puah).

Shira means “singing” in Hebrew.

Shiri means “my song” in Hebrew.

Shoshanah means “rose” in modern Hebrew and “lily” in Biblical Hebrew, ultimately derived from the Egyptian root sšn (lotus). The English name Susan also comes from this root.

Shprintze, Schprintze, Sprinze, Sprinz, Sprins is probably the Yiddish form of the Spanish name Esperanza, which means “hope.” This is the name of the fourth daughter in Sholem Aleichem’s famous story collection Tevye the Dairyman, also titled Tevye and His Daughters and Tevye’s Daughters. In the original source material, five of his seven daughters get love stories. (All things considered, Fiddler on the Roof is one of the better book-to-screen adaptations I’m aware of.)

Shulamit, Shlomit means “peaceful” in Hebrew.

Sigal means “violet” (the flower) in Hebrew.

Smadar means “blossom” in Hebrew.

Sterna, Shterna (Yiddish) comes from the word shtern (star).

Sumbula (Ladino) derives from the Turkish word sümbül (hyacinth).

Swetcote (Judeo–Anglo–Norman) derives from the Middle English word swete (sweet, pleasant, likeable, precious, dear, loved) and a diminutive suffix. The male form, Sweteman, was used as a secular form of the Hebrew name Asher, which means “happy.”

Male names:

Saconet is a Judeo–Provençal form of Isaac (original Hebrew form Yitzchak), which means “laughter.”

Sadoq is the Judeo–Italian form of the Hebrew name Tzadok, which means “righteous.”

Sagi means “elevated, sublime” in Hebrew.

Sagiv means “great, mighty, sublime” in Hebrew.

Sender is the Yiddish form of Alexander, a name which has long been popular in the Jewish community on account of how good Alexander the Great was to us when he conquered Israel. Instead of subjugating and destroying us, he let us remain autonomous and retain our own faith and customs, so long as we paid our taxes.

Serfdeu (Judeo–Anglo–Norman) derives from the Old French words serf (serf) and Deu (God). This name was used as a secular form of Obadiah (original Hebrew form Ovadiyah), which means “serving God.”

Shalom means “peace” in Hebrew.

Shimron means “watchpost” in Hebrew.

Simund is a Judeo–Anglo–Norman form of Simon (original Hebrew form Shimon), which means “hearing, listening.”

Unisex names:

Sachlav means “orchid” in Hebrew. This is a rare name.

Sahar means “crescent moon” in literary Hebrew.

Shachar means “dawn” in Hebrew.

Shai, Shay means “gift” in Hebrew.

Shaked means “almond” in Hebrew.

Shalev means “tranquil, calm” in Hebrew.

Shalhevet means “flame” in Hebrew. This is a rare name.

Shani means “red, scarlet” in Hebrew.

Shavit means “comet” in Hebrew. This is a rare name.

Shoham means “onyx” in Hebrew.

Simcha means “joy, happiness” in Hebrew.

Stav means “autumn” in Hebrew.