DEBORAH
DEH-buh-ruh
A classic biblical name meaning “bee,” with an old association with eloquence and industry.
Meaning
Deborah comes from Hebrew דְּבוֹרָה (D'vorah), traditionally understood to mean “bee.” The excerpt from Charnock also notes St. Jerome’s gloss “apis, sive eloquentia” (“a bee, or eloquence”), linking the name with both speech and the busy orderliness of a swarm. The Yonge excerpt likewise identifies Deborah as “the bee.”
Origin
Hebrewfeminine
Fun fact
In the biblical tradition, Deborah is remembered as a judge, prophetess, and leader, which gave the name a strong model of wisdom as well as sweetness.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.