📖 About Hadassah
Hadassah is an ancient Hebrew feminine name meaning "myrtle tree" — a plant deeply venerated in Jewish tradition as a symbol of peace, fragrance, and righteousness. In the Hebrew Bible, Hadassah is the birth name of Queen Esther, the Jewish woman who became queen of Persia and saved her people from annihilation, making the name inseparable from themes of courage, hidden identity, and providential deliverance. Outside the biblical story, the myrtle features prominently in Jewish wedding ceremonies and Shabbat rituals, reinforcing the name's associations with joy and sanctity. In the United States, the name has experienced a steady rise in popularity, climbing from a rank of 920 in the 2010s to 680 in the 2020s — reflecting a broader trend of parents embracing rare, spiritually resonant biblical names.
📍 Details
- OriginHebrew
- Gender♀ Female
- MeaningMyrtle tree
🔀 Variants & Related Names
⭐ Famous People
- Queen Esther (Hadassah) — Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus and heroine of the biblical Book of Esther, who used her position to save the Jewish people from a royal decree of genocide.
- Hadassah Lieberman — Pharmacist, public health advocate, and wife of US Senator Joe Lieberman; known for her work in healthcare awareness and Jewish communal life.
- Hadiya Pendleton — Chicago teenager whose tragic death in 2013, just days after performing at President Obama's inauguration, sparked national conversation about gun violence in America.
- Hadassah (organization) — The Women's Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, one of the largest women's organizations in the US, known for its hospitals in Jerusalem.