Faivish

Faivish m

Jewish (Yiddish): probably from Greek Phoibos, an epithet of the sun god Apollo. It is said to have been adopted as a learned translation equivalent of Hebrew Shimshon (see SAMSON (SEE Samson)), but it is more likely derived directly from the Greek. The Greeks often named captured slaves after gods, and it would thus have been likely for Jews to come to have this name. It was often paired with the Aramaic name SHRAGA (SEE Shraga) meaning ‘fire, lantern’ as Shraga Faivish, since it was important for Jewish men to be called by a Hebrew or Aramaic name in certain religious rites.

Pet forms: Fayvel, Feivel.