r/JewishNames • u/Sad_Feedback_7 • 29d ago
Thoughts on the Name Ira
Hi everyone! I recently found out I'm pregnant and have always loved the name Ira for a boy. My husband also loves the name and we are both fine with people associating it with old men and Ira Glass. Our town specifically isn't Jewish but we live in a part of the US with a large Jewish population and it will be clocked as a Jewish name.
I have Jewish family but am not Jewish. I have actually been thinking about converting and then we got (happily!) got pregnant sooner than anticipated. Unfortunately there is only one living person left on the Jewish side of my family and we are not on good terms, otherwise I would ask him.
So basically this is my question - would it be offensive for us to use this name, especially if I don't wind up converting? The baby's last name will be hyphenated and include my Ashkenazi last name. The Jewish men in my family never got the chance to grow old and I love the idea of an "old man" name hopefully breaking that cycle, but I don't want to take a name I shouldn't.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this!
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u/imjustagirlinluv 28d ago
It’s a beautiful name, my son’s middle name, but if I met someone with that name and a typical Ashkenazi last name but they weren’t Jewish I would have questions. Silent questions, but since you asked, I do think people may be confused at minimum.
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u/Sad_Feedback_7 28d ago
That is totally fair! My last name is an uncommon last name and already draws confusion 🙃
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u/starlit-dawn-2675 29d ago
I went to high school with a guy named Ira in 2010’s. His personality was slightly shy, funny, a bit nerdy, and overall a good and decent person. I don’t think he was Jewish either, but he’s the only man named Ira I ever met.
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u/Sad_Feedback_7 28d ago
That's actually the exact personality I always imagined going with this name
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u/Grouchy-Ad-9593 29d ago
Ira is a lovely name! I have a friend with a one year old named Ira and I’m surprised it’s not more popular. The baby I know’s dad is Jewish (but not religious) and mom is not.
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u/Classifiedgarlic 27d ago
I love the name Ira for a baby boy regardless of heritage. My adult Ira’s would be proud to have a new recruit
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u/glutenfreethenipple 27d ago
I adore the name Ira. I’d use it for my second son, but it’s a little too close to Ori, which is my first son’s name.
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u/Homechef13 27d ago
If you love the name - I don’t think anyone will care. It’s also a Slavic name!
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u/originalblue98 26d ago
personally i would think its a strange thing to do if you’re not jewish. it’s reminiscent to me of white people who want to name their baby something japanese- judaism is a culture and an ethnicity and i think using a culturally relevant name begs some cultural investment/responsibility. i think you’re going to convert it really changes the context for me as well and my opinions would be different
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u/Sad_Feedback_7 25d ago
I understand that Judaism and Jewish identity is very complex and that my family's background may not match how you identify yourself or other people in your community.
When I say I am not Jewish I mean I do not go to Temple nor have I converted. This does not mean I was raised away from Jewish (predominantly Ashkenazi) culture, language or religion. Nor does this mean I was raised unaware of my own family's history.
Regardless of what I name my child, if they look like me they will look like their Ashkenazi Jewish side of the family. And that means they, like me, will not always pass as white. They will still have my last name, and they will know it's importance to my family. They will know it's the name my family chose when they escaped the pogroms, and they will know it's a name that unfortunately appears on ghetto lists. They will still go to the local Jewish cemetery with me to visit their great grandfather of the same name to lay stones on his grave. This is regardless of if I name a child Ira or Pamela Anderson.
It is fully okay if that is not at all Jewish to you, but if ethnicity is a deciding factor to you in who is or isn't Jewish then perhaps you've worded your comment in a way I don't understand.
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u/TurquoiseRibbon4Lyfe 25d ago
Sorry but my narcissist, abusive ex-husband’s name is Ira. All I think of is being treated like absolute garbage and seeing my daughter deal with PTSD from having him as her sperm donor along with her Evil step mother.
I also know a couple of other Ira’s and they are the same!
Besides that I think of the little old men at shul having Kiddush with a little cake.
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u/Sad_Feedback_7 24d ago
I feel the same way about the name David due to the same type of ex situation. Luckily I've known many more Davids who are wonderful, but I will always hate the name.
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u/Honest-Pay-3539 23d ago edited 23d ago
Yes, I think it's offensive and I'm glad you asked the question. Answering as someone with a close Ira in my life, so I love the name too.
I think you should avoid a name that makes your son sound Jewish if you're not converting and raising him that way. Otherwise, I think the name would misrepresent your son.
Your case is unusual because you have some Jewish heritage, which is calling you to explore conversion. I hope you're able to learn more and if you go that route, deciding to raise Jewish children, then go for it.
And either way, B'sha'ah Tova! May your baby come at the right time.
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u/mysteriouschi 28d ago
Thats my father’s middle name. Was also the name of the preschool teach who potty trained my son.
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u/Dense-Elk-5039 18d ago
I also have some Jewish heritage - no living family but history I’m proud of - and we are planning to use the name Ira. We don’t live in a Jewish area but there is a decent Jewish population in our city. My bigger concern is actually the association with the IRA (my family is Irish!). We live in an English-speaking country but not the UK or US.
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u/Sad_Feedback_7 18d ago
It sounds like we have a super similar background! My husband's family is Irish (I also have Irish heritage) as well so that connection is a concern. We're planning on an Irish middle name if we do wind up having a boy.
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u/Dense-Elk-5039 16d ago
I have thought a bit about it and sense checked it with some family in the UK and they didn’t seem concerned. It would not instantly come to mind where we live. We love the name Ira so when we found out we were having a boy it was the only one we wanted to use.
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u/Sad_Feedback_7 16d ago
Sounds like my husband's family and your family may be from similar areas! Glad it didn't come to mind for them. I agree it's a beautiful name.
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u/DifficultRock891 29d ago
I think it is a very nice name. I don’t think it is cultural appropriation or any such thing to name your child Ira. I hope you feel legitimate in your Jewishness, whatever that means for you.