Adina

Tova

Hebrew · “From the Hebrew "Tovah" meaning good or goodness — the feminine form of "Tov" (good), the very word used in Genesis when God sees each day of creation and declares it "good". The name carries a deep simplicity and the oldest affirmation in the Hebrew tradition: the goodness of created existence.”

Naomi

Biblical Hebrew · “From the Hebrew "Na'omi" meaning pleasantness, sweetness, or delight, derived from the root "n-ʿ-m" meaning pleasant, agreeable. In the Hebrew Bible, Naomi is the mother-in-law of Ruth, whose story of bitter loss (she asks to be called "Mara" meaning bitter after her husband and sons die) and ultimate restoration through Ruth's loyalty is one of scripture's most moving portraits of grief and redemption.”

Hannah

Biblical Hebrew · “From the Hebrew "Ḥannāh" meaning grace, favour, or God's gracious gift, derived from the root "ḥ-n-n" meaning to be gracious. In the Hebrew Bible, Hannah is the mother of the prophet Samuel, whose moving prayer in the Temple (1 Samuel 1-2) after years of barrenness became a model of faithful, earnest prayer in Jewish and Christian tradition.”

Eden

Amharic · “In Amharic and Ethiopian usage, Eden is a feminine name meaning "pleasure", "delight", or "paradise" — the Amharic pronunciation of the Hebrew "Eden" referring to the Garden of Eden. In Ethiopia it carries a specifically Christian resonance, evoking the paradise lost and the paradise promised.”

Madalyn

“A variant spelling of Madeline or Madeleine, from the French form of Magdalene — from the place name Magdala on the Sea of Galilee, meaning "tower" in Hebrew (from migdal). Mary Magdalene, one of the most prominent women in the New Testament, gave her name lasting reverence and widespread use across the Christian world. Madalyn is a simplified American phonetic spelling that emerged in the 20th century.”

Mia

“Originally a Scandinavian and Italian short form of Maria, itself from the Hebrew Miryam (Miriam), whose precise meaning is debated — possible derivations include "beloved," "sea of bitterness," "rebelliousness," or from Egyptian mr, "love" or "beloved." Mia has also been independently used as a short form of names like Amelia and Naomi. It became one of the most popular feminine names in the English-speaking world in the early 21st century.”

Ivah

“Ivah is a biblical place name appearing in the Hebrew scriptures as a city conquered by the Assyrians, of uncertain etymology. As a given name it has occasionally been used in English-speaking countries as an archaic feminine form, possibly associated with Iva (a variant of Eve or Ivy) or treated as an ornate spelling variant.”

Susan

“An English form of Susanna, from the Hebrew Shoshannah, meaning "lily" or "rose" (the exact flower depends on interpretation of the underlying root shwshan). Susanna appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha as the heroine who is falsely accused and vindicated through Daniel's wisdom. The name has been in English use since the 16th century and peaked in extraordinary popularity in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States and United Kingdom.”

Gabriel

“Gabriel is derived from the Hebrew Gavriel (גַּבְרִיאֵל) meaning "God is my strength" or "man of God," composed of gavar (strength, hero) and El (God). In Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition, Gabriel is the archangel who serves as God's primary messenger, announcing the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus in the New Testament and dictating the Quran to Muhammad in Islam.”

Josephine

“The French feminine form of Joseph, from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "God will add" or "may God increase" — from yasaf, "to add." Joseph was the beloved son of Jacob in Genesis, whose coat of many colours became a symbol of favour and envy. The French feminine form Joséphine was famously borne by Napoleon's first wife, the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, which gave the name a lasting aristocratic and romantic European register.”