What do you think of this name?

mejumpmore1 · November 2009

Noah Chayal B(2syllables)

Chayal - pronounced Kyle (for those who dont know...It means soldier in hebrew...we are not israeli or hebrew or jewish or anything of the kind...DH feels very strongly about supporting and honoring the Holy Land and feels that by using Hebrew names for LO will do just that.) Noah is also a Hebrew and means peaceful.

DH has also suggested this:

Benjamin David

DHs initials are BDB but his name is Bobby Drew. He thought it would be cool for LO to share his initials, but not his name. DH is a Jr. and has had some issues with mail, medical records and credit by being a Jr. and his info and his dads getting mixed up. Anyway, I HATE the name David with a passion...so this one wont be happening and every replacement name that I have suggested has been nixed by DH.

so what do you think of Noah Chayal?? Is Chayal too weird? Its sort of growing on me the more I think about it and it will be a middle name so its not like it will be used all the time or anything.

lifesaboutmusic · November 2009

Noah Kyle is an ok name but PLEASE dont spell it Chayal

mejumpmore1 · November 2009

Spelling Chayal any other way is not in the cards. If we use Noah (my fave name) DH says the middle name MUST be Chayal.

krissyh21 · November 2009

I would nix the spelling of Kyle had it been a first name, since looking at it no one would had the first idea of how to pronounce it. But since you are trying to honor the holy land and using it as a middle name, I say go for it!

sw_in_kc · November 2009

I like the name Kyle, but since you won't use that spelling, I think Chayal is fine since it is the middle name.

debbadebbadoo711 · November 2009

I like both of the names. If the spelling Chayal has meaning to you then use it! Most likely, not many other people will ever know or care about his middle name anyway except you and your DH, so GO CRAZY! Cool

JoyGotDots · November 2009

Technically Chayal would not start with the same K sound as Kyle. Just like Chanukah doesn't start with a K sound.

qtpa2t · November 2009

Chayal is definitely unusual, and most people won't guess it's pronounced like Kyle, but I think you have more leeway in a middle name.

TripMomma · November 2009

mejumpmore1:
Spelling Chayal any other way is not in the cards. If we use Noah (my fave name) DH says the middle name MUST be Chayal.

If that is the case then I would go with Benjamin David...Chayal is NMS.

niki731 · November 2009

I like Noah but why not just spell it Kyle? Honestly I would never had known Chayal was pronounced Kyle.

ValentineBB · November 2009

krissyh21:
I would nix the spelling of Kyle had it been a first name, since looking at it no one would had the first idea of how to pronounce it. But since you are trying to honor the holy land and using it as a middle name, I say go for it!

Ditto.

JenGK · November 2009

If the first name is Hebrew, doesn't that meet the criteria of a name honoring the Holy Land? Is he insisting on two Hebrew names?

AlexJ217 · November 2009

I like it - but I like biblical names. Its a middle name so it wont get used much. DH and I are planning on using a "different" family name for a middle name. Good luck to you.

AlexJ217 · November 2009

JoyGotDots:
Technically Chayal would not start with the same K sound as Kyle. Just like Chanukah doesn't start with a K sound.

This too. Not sure if it matters to you though.

ubermoose · November 2009

I'm on the fence on this one. One one hand, I think it's great to use names that have historical or ethnic significance. One the other, you are more likely to run into problems when the name is extremely similar to a name people are familiar with, yet spelled very differently. When you explain it, I suppose it works. When you don't, it appears to be an unusual creative spelling. I realize it's cultural, but your hubby must realize that the spelling could be a stumbling block.

I realize it's "just" a middle name. Still, it's best to pick a name you both love, and that will serve your little one well. People are curious about middle names, and they are used sometimes. You don't want to give him something that you are already aware he may not want to use.

My suggestion would be to pick another Hebrew name. People will be more likely to really appreciate the Hebrew significance when they are not scratching their heads at a familiar name with an unfamiliar spelling. Chaim, maybe?

I am a little concerned that your husband is being adamant concerning names you don't care about. If you HATE David, there is no good reason to use it. End of discussion. And it's unfair for him to nix everything that isn't David. To nix names that he doesn't care for is fine, but to just veto whatever isn't his pre-selected ideal name just creates resentment.

MrsCFB · November 2009

noah is okay.

although chayal isn't my favorite, since it's going to be a middle name, it doesn't bother me too much.

at least noah kyle/chayal flows well

serrill2 · November 2009

I looked it up and I do not see a site anywhere that spells it Chayal it is Chayil and it means soldier etc. And yes it is pronounced Kyle, with the hard K sound.

FutureMrs.Steen · November 2009

Go with Benjamin David (really great name!) I love Noah, but don't like Chayal at all.

mejumpmore1 · November 2009

serrill2:
I looked it up and I do not see a site anywhere that spells it Chayal it is Chayil and it means soldier etc. And yes it is pronounced Kyle, with the hard K sound.

thank you. I haven't been able to find that name AT ALL! I kept searching but I guess now I know why I haven't come across it...cuz I was spelling it wrong. Whoops.

And NO NO NO I will not name my child Benjamin David...what part of my saying that I HATE the name David means that I would consider using the name?

JoyGotDots · November 2009

serrill2:
I looked it up and I do not see a site anywhere that spells it Chayal it is Chayil and it means soldier etc. And yes it is pronounced Kyle, with the hard K sound.

I can't see how it possibly would be.

Chanukah, chai, challah charoset, etc - none of these words start with a K sound. They have a guttural H sound.

wheelenl · November 2009

No offense, but I think the part that is weird is that you are considering using a middle name that you're not sure how to spell or pronounce.

There are plenty of really nice Hebrew names. I bet you can even find another one that means "warrior" other than Chayil. I just looked and Gideon fits that bill, in fact.

To me, it sounds like you want to have to explain Chayil to people all of the time so that you can make a political statement about supporting the Holy Land? And no one wants a name turned into a political statement. I have no issues with Israel, I'm just offering perspective.

juniper19 · November 2009

JoyGotDots:
serrill2:
I looked it up and I do not see a site anywhere that spells it Chayal it is Chayil and it means soldier etc. And yes it is pronounced Kyle, with the hard K sound.
I can't see how it possibly would be.
Chanukah, chai, challah charoset, etc - none of these words start with a K sound. They have a guttural H sound.

Yes. In hebrew the word is spelled with the letter "chet" which is pronounced as a gutteral H, not a K.

j_luvs_r · November 2009

mejumpmore1:
...we are not israeli or hebrew or jewish or anything of the kind...DH feels very strongly about supporting and honoring the Holy Land and feels that by using Hebrew names for LO will do just that.

I am very confused. If you are "not Israeli or Hebrew or Jewish", then why would you want to honor their "Holy Land"? I must be missing something...

rose916 · November 2009

juniper19:
JoyGotDots:

serrill2:
I looked it up and I do not see a site anywhere that spells it Chayal it is Chayil and it means soldier etc. And yes it is pronounced Kyle, with the hard K sound.

I can't see how it possibly would be.

Chanukah, chai, challah charoset, etc - none of these words start with a K sound. They have a guttural H sound.

Yes. In hebrew the word is spelled with the letter "chet" which is pronounced as a gutteral H, not a K.

This. I like a the suggestion from a previous post of Gideon.

mejumpmore1 · November 2009

j_luvs_r:
mejumpmore1:
...we are not israeli or hebrew or jewish or anything of the kind...DH feels very strongly about supporting and honoring the Holy Land and feels that by using Hebrew names for LO will do just that.
I am very confused. If you are "not Israeli or Hebrew or Jewish", then why would you want to honor their "Holy Land"? I must be missing something...

We are both Christians, it is the Holy Land.

mejumpmore1 · November 2009

wheelenl:
No offense, but I think the part that is weird is that you are considering using a middle name that you're not sure how to spell or pronounce.
There are plenty of really nice Hebrew names. I bet you can even find another one that means "warrior" other than Chayil. I just looked and Gideon fits that bill, in fact.
To me, it sounds like you want to have to explain Chayil to people all of the time so that you can make a political statement about supporting the Holy Land? And no one wants a name turned into a political statement. I have no issues with Israel, I'm just offering perspective.

Are you serious?? Why would I want to have to explain a name all the time. That is absurd. This isnt about making a political statement...what exactly do politics have to do with a firm belief to honor the Holy Land and something that my husband feels strongly about? Ridiculous. My husband chose the name, not me. I have been working against the name because I dont particularly like it but I also dont hate it and that is why I brought it up here to get other perspectives.

wheelenl · November 2009

mejumpmore1:
wheelenl:
No offense, but I think the part that is weird is that you are considering using a middle name that you're not sure how to spell or pronounce.
There are plenty of really nice Hebrew names. I bet you can even find another one that means "warrior" other than Chayil. I just looked and Gideon fits that bill, in fact.
To me, it sounds like you want to have to explain Chayil to people all of the time so that you can make a political statement about supporting the Holy Land? And no one wants a name turned into a political statement. I have no issues with Israel, I'm just offering perspective.
Are you serious?? Why would I want to have to explain a name all the time. That is absurd. This isnt about making a political statement...what exactly do politics have to do with a firm belief to honor the Holy Land and something that my husband feels strongly about? Ridiculous. My husband chose the name, not me. I have been working against the name because I dont particularly like it but I also dont hate it and that is why I brought it up here to get other perspectives.

Right, and I'm giving my perspective. You're being quite defensive for what was not a mean response.

There are definitely people in this world (whether or not you are one of them, how am I to know?) who pick a strange name and they like explaining what it means, for whatever reason that might be, to explain their religious beliefs, or their love for Les Miserables the musical, or whatever else it might be.

If you don't want to explain it every time, then go with a normal Hebrew name, like Gideon, or Benjamin. You will be explaining this one every time if you share the middle name, and apparently explaining the pronunciation as well to Americans who are familiar with Hebrew, if they are similar to folks on this board (me not being one of them).

wheelenl · November 2009

Oh! And another nice easy shout-out to the Holy Land could be a place name, like Jordan or Hebron.

candycane3t · November 2009

I am not fond about the spelling of Chayal but what about Benjamin Drew to incorporate the initials as well as a middle name?

OctoberCAPA · November 2009

mejumpmore1:

And NO NO NO I will not name my child Benjamin David...what part of my saying that I HATE the name David means that I would consider using the name?

Wow, defensive much? I agree that it sounds like your husband at least is really excited about explaining the name Chayal, even if you aren't. There are lots of Biblical names and Israel-associated names--if you care about it getting pronounced correctly, you have to be able to find something that you won't HATE.

juniper19 · November 2009

wheelenl:
Oh! And another nice easy shout-out to the Holy Land could be a place name, like Jordan or Hebron.

Jordan has very tense relations with Israel and Hebron is a source of strife with the Palestinians, so these actually wouldn't be great choices. But I agree that OP would consider urging her DH to pick something that more straightforward.

BlessedMommy723 · November 2009

I think Noah Kyle is OK, but I wouldn't Chayal.

What about Benjamin Daniel? Both are still Biblical names. I like the idea of your DH and DS having the same initials but not the same name.

BlessedMommy723 · November 2009

Here is a website where you can search for Christian names and it gives their origin and meaning as well. Maybe you and your DH can find something from here.

https://www.jesusanswers.com/names/christian.htm

PearlPink · November 2009

Honestly I think if you don't like the name he should let it go...

Here are some other names that he might like all are Hebrew.

Davis (beloved)

Cohen (priest)

Evan (God is gracious)

Danick (God is my Judge)

Davin (beloved)

Jeremiah (god will raise up)

Obviously there are tons more. Just make him look with you. He should be willing to do this because this is going to be the child's name forever and should be something you work on together.

waytoe · November 2009

I am Jewish and speak Hebrew. I think Chayal would be too weird too have to explain all the time, especially since you aren't pronouncing it correctly.

Instead of David, you could use Dov, pronounced with a long O like "dove". It means "bear". You could also use Daniel. They are both great Hebrew names!

serrill2 · November 2009

JoyGotDots:

serrill2:
I looked it up and I do not see a site anywhere that spells it Chayal it is Chayil and it means soldier etc. And yes it is pronounced Kyle, with the hard K sound.

I can't see how it possibly would be.

Chanukah, chai, challah charoset, etc - none of these words start with a K sound. They have a guttural H sound.

It was the post that mentioned it, that made me find a hebrew baby name site (and pronunciation site) and it had all the pronunciations listed. I have no idea why it is a hard K but it was, and the spelling was Chayil

serrill2 · November 2009

Lol.. okay it is Yiddish and I found why it is pronounced like a hard K sound

Not that it matters all that much, but it threw me too

https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Yiddish_Words/yiddish_words.html

wheelenl · November 2009

juniper19:
wheelenl:
Oh! And another nice easy shout-out to the Holy Land could be a place name, like Jordan or Hebron.
Jordan has very tense relations with Israel and Hebron is a source of strife with the Palestinians, so these actually wouldn't be great choices. But I agree that OP would consider urging her DH to pick something that more straightforward.

Oh, good point, but I was just thinking of the river. Also technically the Holy Land is not just in Israel. She didn't say for sure if it was pro-Israeli thing or just a Holy Land thing.

JoyGotDots · November 2009

serrill2:
Lol.. okay it is Yiddish and I found why it is pronounced like a hard K sound

No. It isn't. I can't say it more clearly than that.

To expand on that...Seeing as you don't speak Hebrew or Yiddish, you are not interpreting the pronunciation correctly. "Ch" isn't a sound we make in English and it is not a K sound. If anything, you would say it with an H sound.

ETA: Click on this link, for the word challah, and then click on the audio pronunciations. The first is for the guttural sound we are talking about and the second is a more American pronunciation with an H sound. Hopefully this clears things up for you.

secuccaro · November 2009

krissyh21:
I would nix the spelling of Kyle had it been a first name, since looking at it no one would had the first idea of how to pronounce it. But since you are trying to honor the holy land and using it as a middle name, I say go for it!

I agree - since it is a MN, it doesn't matter how it is spelled.

FWIW, I also love Benjamin David, and they are both good, traditional Hebrew names.

sara1817 · November 2009

For me personally Chayal is too weird. But I have a brother named Kyle so that just seems right to me. What about Benjamin Drew?

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