# Male first name that's definitely not Jewish **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777 "2003-11-06T21:08:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/1 "2003-11-06T21:08:20Z")
This is more a question of perception than actual fact–I guess. I’m looking for a male name (for a character in a novel) that most people, upon hearing it, would absolutely know the character was _not_ Jewish. But it needs to be in the Judeo-Christian realm, i.e., not “Mohammed.” I originally named him Christopher and then, wouldn’t you know, I met a guy named Christopher who’s Jewish. It’s a very small moment in the novel and the context is thus: the protagonist is worried about having ham for dinner for her husband’s old friend, because she thinks he’s Jewish because she thinks he _looks_ Jewish and he’s from a metropolis on the east coast. Her husband uses this opportunity to say, rather snidely, “A name like \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and you thought he was Jewish? What were you thinking?” I may have to do it with the last name. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/2 "2003-11-06T21:17:34Z")
I’d suggest you go for a celtic name like Chad or Conway or Clayton ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/3 "2003-11-06T21:19:46Z")
Jesus, of course (even though the most famous person with that name was Jewish). Names like Guiseppe, Vincent, Bernardo, Vittorio, Francisco, etc. Adolph, if he was born after Hitler became famous. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/4 "2003-11-06T21:31:11Z")
I’ve never known a Jewish Patrick. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/5 "2003-11-06T21:31:16Z")
Seamus. ---
**Author:** ![TheJungOnes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TheJungOnes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheJungOnes)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/6 "2003-11-06T21:34:16Z")
Most Hispanic names would work. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/7 "2003-11-06T21:36:38Z")
May I respectfully suggest that since in these modern and enlightened times there may be no such thing as “a Jewish name” (I know two different WASP moms here in the Heartland who named their little boys “Israel”), there may also be no such thing as a _totally_ “non-Jewish name” (Although I have to say that “Adolf” comes pretty close. 😃 ). Just because you meet someone named “Seamus” or “Patrick” or “Jesus” (and he informs you, “It’s pronounced 'Hay-ZOOS”) is no guarantee that he _isn’t_ Jewish. Parents name their kids all kinds of things nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/8 "2003-11-06T21:41:34Z")
Christian ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/9 "2003-11-06T22:11:43Z")
John. Not Jon, John. With an H. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/10 "2003-11-06T22:21:02Z")
I would still go with Christopher, although Christian may be even clearer, but although common enough in other languages is not much used by English speakers. While Jews can name their kids what they like, Christopher is distinctly odd. As for John, no I am afraid that won’t work. There are innumerable Jews named John. And as for names like Giuseppe or Spanish names, well should they happen to be Italian, what do you think they are named? I actually did know a Giuseppe Levy (and we’ve all heard of Primo) which are perfectly reasonable names for Italian Jews. I agree that Jesus is distinctly unlikely. As for names like Chad and Corwin, well they are names with no religious significance. So again they could be anything. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/11 "2003-11-06T22:23:23Z")
Ceasar. \<_snort_\> No seriously. How about Anthony? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/12 "2003-11-06T22:23:47Z")
You might think about Adolph. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/13 "2003-11-06T22:28:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeVena \* > I’d suggest you go for a celtic name like Chad or Conway > > or Clayton \*\* My friends Chad Goldstein, Conway Steinberg and Clayton Weinstein won’t like the sound of that. I would nominate the following: Ghengis Tyrone any “state” name (ie Texas, Indiana, etc) Kang ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/14 "2003-11-06T23:36:58Z")
**msmith** , there was a restaurant in Los Angeles called Genghis Kohn. Yes, it was in a Jewish neighborhood. I’d stick with a name with no religious significance at all. A nice "WASP"ish name like, say, Phillip Smith. [sub]The Phil Smith I know _is_ Jewish.[/sub] Robin ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/15 "2003-11-06T23:42:30Z")
I never thought I’d be able to work this anecdote into a conversation. But a girl I knew once dated a guy named “Juan Pablo” for months without realizing that he was (a) Mexican and (b) Catholic. Which might have been more understandable were she herself not also Mexican and Catholic. Anyway, “Christian” would work. If the visitor could change genders (you did say it’s a minor plot point) “Mary \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” might work as well. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/16 "2003-11-07T00:13:28Z")
Arthur, Siegfreid, Whalen, Tristan, Sequoia, Tecumseh, Geronimo, Cochise, Roland, Alfred, Kai, Mohandas, Gheran, Jehan, Percival, Hannibal, Julius, Horatio, Cletus, Kwan, Padraig, Brian, Connor, Shane, Ian, Erin, Bruce. Dat’s funny, you don’t look Jewish! Tris ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/17 "2003-11-07T00:33:44Z")
BUBBAH ---
**Author:** ![Beltane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@Beltane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beltane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/18 "2003-11-07T00:58:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spavined Gelding \* > \*\*You might think about Adolph. \*\* Although I am sure most people would assume that someone with that name would not possibly be Jewish- I actually new a person who born into a Jewish family who was named Adolph… Adolph **JR** no less he went by “dolph” or sometimes “dolphin” ( particularly when dressed in gender f\*\*k drag. Yes- the gay jewish (converted to) quaker who attended a small university in the south- and would up living in the door with all the football players… this was about 12 years ago BTW. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/19 "2003-11-07T01:26:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alessan \* > \*\*John. Not Jon, John. With an H. \*\* I know at least two Jewish Johns-with-an-H. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777/20 "2003-11-07T01:33:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beltane \* > and would up living in the door with all the football players… Luxury. We used to _dream_ of living in a door with football players. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-first-name-thats-definitely-not-jewish/211777.md?page=2)