Boys are given their Jewish of Hebrew name as part of the Bris Ceremony. The name given may be Hebrew, Yiddish or a combination of both. Jewish mysticism and Kabala regard an individual's name as connected to their essential self.

Hebrew names have meaning and their spelling and numerology are considered significant. Biblical names remain popular and meaningful, providing a connection to the original Torah personalities and the more recent generations that bore the same names.

Naming customs vary, with Ashkenazic Jews using names of the departed, including relatives. Sephardim usually choose names of the living.

Jewish names do not need to match English names where given, but parents often prefer to use the same of similar names, such as the English Joshua and the Hebrew Yehoshua. names with the same initial sound are also a popular choice.