עברית
Faith
The Names Eliya and Ayala for a Daughter
Question
Shalom honorable Rabbi,
With much joy,
We had our first daughter on Sunday, the 24th of Tammuz. Throughout the pregnancy, we really loved the name Eliya, but now we understand that it is a male name and it is preferable not to give it to a girl. We wanted to ask if it is appropriate to name the girl Eliya, and if not, then what about the name Ayala?
Thank you very much.
Answer
Shalom, Indeed, the name Eliya is a male name, and therefore it should not be given to a daughter (see Sefer Shemot Ba’aretz, page 158, by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, shlita). Regarding the name Ayala, it is brought in the book Minhagei HaRashal, Part 1 (page 298) that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, zt"l, recommended the name Ayala, stating it has a merit for longevity. This is likewise well-known from Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, shlita. It is also cited in the book Yeshuot Mordechai (page 118) that Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, zt"l, considered the name Ayala to be good for girls. With blessings of mazal tov and much nachas, Hillel Meirs
