Question: Does Judaism permit one to name two of their children after the same relative?
Dear Rabbi,
Three years ago my mother died and I had a son last year that I named after her (her name was Mila and his name is Miles). I am now pregnant again with a girl and want to name her Mila. Is it ok in the Jewish faith to name two children after the same relative?
Thank you, Eva
Answer: Dear Eva,
Thank you for your question!
First of all it is important to state that "naming after someone" in the Jewish tradition refers only to the Hebrew name and not English derivatives no matter how closely they may seem alike.
For example, if a couple names their child "Richard" in memory of a grandmother "Rivkah", or "Morris" in memory of a grandfather "Moshe" --- no "naming after" has taken place, at least not in the classical Jewish perspective. Yes, it is a beautiful way to show love and honor to the deceased, but it is only when the complete Hebrew name is given is one considered to have truly been named after someone. There are many inspiring mystical interpretations in properly doing so.
That being said, it is not a Jewish custom to name (both literally and 'honorably' as mentioned above) a second child after the same person as the first child had been named.
I hope this gives you some direction on how to best proceed. Feel free to contact me privately for futher advice.
Rabbi Ari Enkin
Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel
