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[Opinions] Amir, Ayal, and Kfir
How usable are these three Hebrew boys names in an English speaking country? And what do you think of them?Amir (uh-MEER) meaning treetop
Ayal (ehy-AL) meaning stag
Kfir (KFEER) meaning lion cub
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Amir is the only usable one in english speaking country

This message was edited 12/13/2023, 6:06 PM

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They are all extremely usable. I'm pretty sure Ayal is currently in the top 1000's, and Amir definitely is. I haven't met any Kfirs, though I can see it working out. They're all good names with good meanings.
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In the UK, Amir would work. I've met a few Amirs and many Amira/Amirah/etc. from the Asian and Muslim communities here, I don't think it'd be unexpected here and most people would have an idea how to pronounce it. I do think people would expect it to be a S. Asian/Muslim person with this name here, make of that as you will.I dislike Ayal and having been through the UK school system think any name that follows the A*al pattern does unfortunately lend itself more or less to the faint possibility of some very juvenile bullying. Although my experience bullying based on names is rare (rarer than certain commentators seem to believe), it did still happen and when it did it was relentless, especially if the name was less common to English speakers unfortunately. Maybe kids in schools nowadays are more enlightened. Other than that, I don't think it sounds amazing, when I say it it sounds like isle/aisle.Kfir ...People would struggle to varying degrees with the Kf sound, it looks a little odd like a typo at first glance, kefir is known here. I personally think 'kefir' sounds like it could be an insult, with no context... like if you didn't know what kefir was, and someone called you a kefir, you'd feel a bit personally attacked... I don't think the sound is nice at all. I think Kfir is more difficult to say and sounds worse, but also he'd probably get called kefir a lot. It might sound lovely to other ears, but I dislike it.All that said, personally I think most UK people wouldn't care much either way, but you would have varying degrees of familiarity and difficulties with pronunciation, with Amir being the best and Kfir by far being the worst.
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Amir is attractive, and usable. Kfir makes me think of a certain little red-headed baby in the news of late - I like the meaning of his name.
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I love them all! Amir is very usable. I think Ayal would work okay as well, though some people may try to say eye-AL or AY-al or EYE-al. Kfir is a definite no. “Kf” doesn’t work in English and there’s also the yogurt drink kefir. Save it for a middle name.

This message was edited 12/10/2023, 11:13 AM

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Ayal is very handsome, and I love the meaning. Amir is also nice. Kfir just makes me think of kefir.
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I like Amir and Ayal

This message was edited 12/10/2023, 6:44 AM

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Amir is the only one that is ok and usable
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I think with the amount of Israeli expats in the west (and disapora jews using modern hebrew names) these names aren't so foreign to a western ear anymore. I'd rank Kfir first, then Amir, then Ayal.
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I live in a Jewish area and hea names like Adam, Jonathan, Leah, Sarah. I know an Ultra Orthodox Jew whise kid is Aaron. My partner is Jewish.
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that's what I meant. even in a not-exclusively jewish area (LA, Miami, Brooklyn, Golder's Green), these names wouldn't stand out.
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