What's In a Name?
An interesting article published on The Forward's website yesterday spotlights a heated debate among Jewish and non-Jewish expectant mothers on the baby naming site Nameberry.com. When one woman asked members of the site's discussion forum to help her decide between the names "Nathaniel Cohen" or "Cohen Grey" a firestorm erupted.
"A Cohen is a Jewish priest and a religious name," wrote one respondent, "so if you're not Jewish I'd stay away from it...many Jewish people may be ... offended by a non-Jewish Cohen." Another woman wrote, "That's like a Jewish person naming their baby Deacon, Bishop, or Pope. It's wrong." Many people agreed with these sentiments, while others thought the entire discussion was "absurd."
The last name "Cohen" has historically been linked to men thought to be direct descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. In Exodus 28:1-4 God appointed Aaron and his sons kohanim (priests) who performed priestly services such as bestowing blessings and performing sacrifices. During the 40 years that the Jews wandered in the desert the kohanim served God in the portable Tabernacle and once the Holy Temple was built in Jerusalem they relocated to this sacred space. In modern Orthodox communities the role kohanim played in Jewish history has translated into a special status that's bestowed upon men with the surname Cohen.
Yet despite the historical significance of the name, I tend not to agree with either side of the debate on Nameberry.com. Rather than offensive or absurd, a non-Jewish parent knowingly naming their child after a line of Israelite priests begs a conversation which begins with the word: "Why?" It seems a little odd - like Jewish parents naming their child Jesus - but perhaps there is a thought-provoking story behind the decision. For instance, as the woman who originally asked about names on Nameberry.com noted, "[What if I wanted to name] my son after a mentor that was Jewish and just so happen[ed] to have this name?" It seems to me that naming a non-Jewish child after a Jewish mentor who influenced the parents' lives is a positive thing.
Of course, many parents who choose the name Cohen will not be aware of its connection to Aaron, Moses and thousands of years of Jewish tradition. With characters like The O.C.'s Seth Cohen and celebrities like Sasha Baron Cohen inundating American media with the name, it's not surprising that some would pick up on it as a possible moniker for their soon-to-be-born child. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration's list of popular baby names, Cohen rose to number 393 in 2008 - up more than two hundred and fifty points since 2004, when it was in spot number 650.
What are your thoughts? Is it OK for a non-Jewish parent to name their child Cohen?
There already are a number of Cohens who are not Jewish, most notably William Cohen, who served in the Clinton Administration. Given intermarriage, divorce, conversion, etc, it is no longer safe to assume you can tell who’s Jewish by his or her name. I know people with very White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestant names who are proudly Jewish, and I know people with Jewish-sounding names who are not and never have been Jews. It seems to me that you should name your kid something that you find appropriate, and if people ask you questions, you can always explain that you wanted to honor a mentor of yours. In Judaism, Ashkenazi (European) Jews often name their kids after a departed relative (I’m named after my late grandmother, of blessed memory), so I fail to see the problem. Good luck!
My last name is LaZella which was a name my father, who was Jewish (Coleman), used as a performance name in the circus so all of us was born under this last name. This name is legal on the birth records but I am Jewish, go figure. Things change, the world changes and names are just a label it is what we are in out hearts that matter.
I’m sorry, William Cohen *is* Jewish, “His mother, Clara, was of Protestant Irish ancestry, while his father, Reuben Cohen, was a Russian Jewish immigrant” see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cohen, I don’t agree as a Jew (sorry!) with the notion only the Mother passes along the connection to all Judaism.
Please, there are exceptions but let’s face it, the majority of Jews will be found to have somewhat traditionally Jewish names, and in my mind that’s a positive thing as we retain a bit of our cultural heritage from it! If you have a good mentor make it the child’s middle name.