Naming a Jewish baby is an act of faith – especially now

I’m heavily pregnant and due to give birth in a few weeks. I don’t know if I’m having a baby boy or girl, so I’ve made a shortlist of names to pick from.

While I haven’t yet decided on a name, I’ll tell you what name I won’t be giving my child: one that is too exotic or too hard to pronounce. My full name is Rochel Nomi Kaltmann. I’m sure you read “Rochel” as “Rochelle,” but alas, no, that is not it – that “ch” is a guttural sound, as if you are pulling up a large piece of phlegm. I love my name, but I hate that it is hard to pronounce.

Naming a baby? Not so easy.

In Judaism, names carry special symbolism. The essence of a person can be revealed in their name, and in the Ashkenazic tradition it’s common to name a baby after a holy person or a deceased relative. Baby girls are named on days when the Torah is read in synagogue, so on a Monday, Thursday or Saturday. Baby boys are named at their circumcision, at eight days old.

When you name a child, there is a belief that as a parent, you are given divine insight to choose the right name – one that will imbue them with the qualities that they will possess during their life on earth. In Judaism, your name will be used constantly. Men are called up to the Torah by their first name and their father’s name, and when someone is sick, we pray for them using their Jewish name. If someone becomes critically ill, or has terrible luck in their life, it is common to add an extra name that symbolises healing or hope for a new beginning.

As we end 2024, I’ve been reflecting on the kind of future I want for my child. I want my child to grow up in an Australia where they can wear their identity with pride and without fear – where they can walk into any classroom, university or workplace, with a traditional Jewish name, and be proud of their Jewish heritage and feel safe. But incidents like the arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue leave me questioning whether that dream is slipping away. Naming a child is an act of hope and legacy, but it also feels like an act of defiance in times like these.

I still have a few weeks to settle on the right name. As I prepare to welcome a new soul into our family, I’m reminded of the unique power of naming. It’s an act of legacy, an intention, a hope. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, the name will be a bridge, linking the past to the future, woven from my tradition. In a way, it’s as if I’m already meeting my child, whispering the beginning of their story, preparing them for their journey into this world.

And most of all, I pray for insight into the right name for my child

Nomi Kaltmann is an Orthodox rabbi.

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