Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

David:

I normally don’t go into speculation about the etymologies of names, as they
can often have two or more possible etymologies, or etymologies that have
since been forgotten in Hebrew. But looking at the daughters’ names, you do
צלפחד wrong in his naming.

Daughter #1, מחלה could be from חול indicating that she likes to dance, or
from חלה meaning to be soft because she was so soft and sweet, or from חיל
because she was a forceful girl. I have no idea from where you get that
“feeling dismayed”.

Daughter #2, נעה could be from נוע meaning “to move (be in motion)” which
could be a reference that she was born while Israel was wandering in the
wilderness.

Daughter #3, חגלה a name for which I could find no etymologies, a real
stretch for “a celebration for her” — חג לה.

Daughter #4, מלכה is clearly a queen.

Daughter #5, תרצה could come from רצה to satisfy, i.e. that he had to be
satisfied with daughters, or רוץ referring to quick motion or running.

>From where do you get such negative names?

Karl W. Randolph.