Judah and Judas are masculine given names derived from the Hebrew name, Yehuda(h), of the biblical figure

Judah (son of Jacob) Judah () was, according to the Book of Genesis, the fourth of the six sons of Jacob and Leah and the founder of the Tribe of Judah of the Israelites. By extension, he is indirectly the eponym of the Kingdom of Judah, the land of Judea, and the wo ...

. Notable people with one or the other variant of the name include:

Biblical and ancient historical figures

In chronological order: *

, fourth son of the Biblical patriarch Jacob * Judah Maccabee or Judas Maccabeus, Jewish priest who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE) *

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (; grc-x-biblical, Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης; syc, ܝܗܘܕܐ ܣܟܪܝܘܛܐ; died AD) was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. According to all four canonical gospels, Judas betraye ...

, Hebrew Yehūḏā ʾĪš-Qǝrīyyōṯ, 'Judah, man of Kerioth' (died c. AD 30), one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus *

Judah ha-Nasi Judah ha-Nasi ( he, יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא‎, ''Yəhūḏā hanNāsīʾ‎''; Yehudah HaNasi or Judah the Prince) or Judah I, was a second-century rabbi (a tanna of the fifth generation) and chief redactor and editor of the ''Mi ...

, also Judah the Prince or Judah I, Jewish sage and leader (2nd century) *

Judah II Judah II or Nesi'ah I was a Jewish sage who lived in Tiberias in the Land of Israel, in the middle of the third century CE. He is mentioned in the classical works of Judaism's Oral Torah, the Mishnah and Talmud. There he is variously called "Jud ...

, Jewish sage (3rd century) *

Judah III Judah III (or Nesi'ah II; Hebrew: יהודה נשיאה; יודן נשיאה), Yudan Nesiah, was a prominent Jewish sage, who held the office of '' Nasi'' of the ancient Jewish Sanhedrin between about 290 and 320 CE (fourth generation of amoraim). ...

, Jewish sage (3rd and 4th century) *

Judah IV ''Judah IV'' (or Nesi'ah III) held the office of '' Nasi'' of the ancient Jewish Sanhedrin between 385 and 400 CE, following Gamaliel V. He was the son of Gamaliel V, and grandson of Hillel II. He was succeeded by Gamaliel VI, the last occupant o ...

, Talmudic sage (4th century) * Judah b. Meremar, Babylonian sage (5th century?)

People with the given name

Judah

In alphabetical order: *

Judah P. Benjamin Judah Philip Benjamin, QC (August 6, 1811 – May 6, 1884) was a United States senator from Louisiana, a Cabinet officer of the Confederate States and, after his escape to the United Kingdom at the end of the American Civil War, an English ba ...

(1811–1884), politician and lawyer in the United States and Confederate States of America * Judah Bergman aka "Jack Kid Berg" (1909–1991), English world champion Hall of Fame junior welterweight boxer *

Judah Loew ben Bezalel Judah Loew ben Bezalel (; between 1512 and 1526 – 17 September 1609), also known as Rabbi Loew ( Löw, Loewe, Löwe or Levai), the Maharal of Prague (), or simply the Maharal (the Hebrew acronym of "''Moreinu ha-Rav Loew''", 'Our Teacher, Rabbi ...

(1512-1526 – 1609) or Rabbi Loew of Prague, the Maharal, Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic and philosopher * Judah David Bleich (born 1936), American rabbi and authority on Jewish law and ethics *

Judah Folkman Moses Judah Folkman (February 24, 1933 – January 14, 2008) was an American medical scientist best known for his research on tumor angiogenesis, the process by which a tumor attracts blood vessels to nourish itself and sustain its existence. He ...

(1933–2008), American cellular biologist, founder of the field of antiangiogenesis *

Judah Friedlander Judah Friedlander (born March 16, 1969) is an American actor and comedian, known for playing the role of writer Frank Rossitano on the NBC sitcom ''30 Rock''. Friedlander is also known for his role as Toby Radloff in the film '' American Splendo ...

(born 1969), American actor best known from ''30 Rock'' *

Judah Halevi Judah Halevi (also Yehuda Halevi or ha-Levi; he, יהודה הלוי and Judah ben Shmuel Halevi ; ar, يهوذا اللاوي ''Yahuḏa al-Lāwī''; 1075 – 1141) was a Spanish Jewish physician, poet and philosopher. He was born in Spain, ...

(1075–1141), medieval Spanish Jewish philosopher and poet *

Judah Hertz Judah Hertz (born 1948/1949 - died Feb. 4, 2021) was an American real estate investor and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Hertz Investment Group and owned many office buildings in Downtown Los Angeles, the New Orleans Central Business Dis ...

(born 1948/49), American real estate investor *

Judah Lewis Judah Lewis (born ) is an American actor. He is known for his main roles in the films '' The Babysitter'', its sequel '' The Babysitter: Killer Queen'', and ''Demolition''. Life and career Lewis is the son of Hara and Mark Lewis, who are actin ...

(born 2000 or 2001), American actor *

Judah Leon Magnes Judah Leon Magnes ( he, יהודה לייב מאגנס; July 5, 1877 – October 27, 1948) was a prominent Reform rabbi in both the United States and Mandatory Palestine. He is best remembered as a leader in the pacifist movement of the World War ...

(1877–1948), rabbi, first President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem *

Judah Nagler Judah Nagler is the singer for The Velvet Teen, an indie/baroque pop band from Santa Rosa in Northern California. He was born on June 19, 1980. He is also a graphic designer and web developer, and has created artwork for The Velvet Teen and other ...

(born 1980), singer, guitarist, and songwriter for indie-pop band The Velvet Teen * "Judah son of Jesus", name on one of the ossuaries in the 1st-century

Talpiot Tomb The Talpiot Tomb (or Talpiyot Tomb) is a rock-cut tomb discovered in 1980 in the East Talpiot neighborhood, five kilometers (three miles) south of the Old City in East Jerusalem. It contained ten ossuaries, six inscribed with epigraphs, inc ...

Yehuda(h), Yehudi

In alphabetical order of their surname: *

Yehuda Alharizi Yehuda Alharizi, also Judah ben Solomon Harizi or al-Harizi ( he, יהודה בן שלמה אלחריזי, ''Yehudah ben Shelomo al-Harizi'', ar, يحيا بن سليمان بن شاؤل أبو زكريا الحريزي اليهودي من أه� ...

(mid-12th century – 1225), medieval Spanish rabbi, translator, poet and traveller *

Yehuda Amichai Yehuda Amichai ( he, יהודה עמיחי; born Ludwig Pfeuffer 3 May 1924 – 22 September 2000) was an Israeli poet and author, one of the first to write in colloquial Hebrew in modern times. Amichai was awarded the 1957 Shlonsky Prize, the ...

(1924–2000), Israeli poet *

Yehuda Amital Yehuda Amital ( he, יהודה עמיטל, born Yehuda Klein; 31 October 1924 – 9 July 2010) was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, and a member of the Israeli cabinet. The concept of a Hesder Yeshiva is attributed to ...

(1924–2010), dean of Yeshivat Har Etzion, former Israeli cabinet member *

Yehuda Atedji Yehuda Atedji (יהודה אטדגי; born June 14, 1961) is an Israeli former Olympic windsurfer. He was born in Israel, and is Jewish. Windsurfing career He competed for Israel at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (at Long Beach, Californ ...

(born 1961), Israeli Olympic windsurfer *

Yehuda Danon Yehuda Danon (יהודה דנון; born 1940) is an Israeli doctor who has been the Surgeon General of the Israel Defense Forces, the Director General of Beilinson Medical Center, and - since 2012 - the President of Ariel University. Biography ...

(born 1940), Israeli doctor *

Yehuda Gilad (musician) Yehuda Gilad is a professor of clarinet at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music and the Colburn School of Music. Education Born and raised in Kibbutz Gan Shmuel. His former teachers include Mitchell Lurie, Herbert Z ...

, contemporary clarinetist and conductor *

Yehuda Gilad (politician) Rabbi Yehuda Gilad ( he, יהודה גלעד, born 30 August 1955) is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Meimad between 2002 and 2003. Biography Born in Brazil, Gilad's family immigrated to Israel when he was ...

(born 1955), Israeli rabbi and politician * Yehudah Glick (born 1965), American-born Israeli Orthodox rabbi, activist, and politician *

Yehuda Green Yehuda Green ( he, יהודה גרין)(born 1959) is a Hasidic Jewish singer and composer, and hazzan at the Carlebach Shul on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Singing in the style of singer-rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (1925–1994), he has been called ...

(born 1959), Shlomo Carlebach-inspired Hasidic singer, composer, and hazzan *

Yehuda Hayuth Yehuda Hayuth (04/10/1946 - יהודה חיות ;12/20/2022) was an Israeli professor of geography, and a former President of the University of Haifa. Early life Hayuth was born in Jerusalem in Mandatory Palestine, and fought for Israel as a parat ...

(born 1946), Israeli professor of geography * Yehudah Jacobs (c. 1940–2020), American rabbi * Yehuda Krinsky (born 1933), Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi *

Yehuda Kurtzer Yehuda Kurtzer is President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. He has written and lectured widely on Jewish history, Jewish memory, leadership in American Jewish life, and the relationship between American Jews, Israel and Zionism ...

(born 1977), President of The Shalom Hartman Institute of North America *

Yehuda Moraly Yehuda (Jean-Bernard) Moraly, a theater researcher, playwright, director and actor, is a professor emeritus of Theater studies at the Hebrew University. His fields of research are mainly French theater and film. He taught theater at the Sor ...

(born 1948), Israeli theater researcher, playwright, director, actor, and professor *

Yehuda Poliker Yehuda Leon Poliker ( he, יהודה ליאון פוליקר; born December 25, 1950) is an Israeli singer, songwriter, musician, and painter. Poliker first became known in the 1980s as the lead vocalist for the band Benzene. In 1985, after Benz ...

(born 1950), Israeli singer-songwriter *

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi or Jehudi (Hebrew: יהודי, endonym for Jew) is a common Hebrew name: * Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999), violinist and conductor ** Yehudi Menuhin School, a music school in Surrey, England ** Who's Yehoodi?, a catchphrase referring to the v ...

(1916–1999), world-famous violinist *

Yehuda Tzadka Yehuda Yehoshua Tzadka ( he, יהודה צדקה; 13 January 1910 – 20 October 1991) was a respected Sephardi rabbi and rosh yeshiva of the Porat Yosef Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He became a student in the yeshiva after his bar mitzvah, and continue ...

(1910–1991), dean of Porat Yosef Yeshiva, Jerusalem *

Yehuda Wiener-Gafni Yehuda Wiener-Gafni (also "Ernst";יהודה וינר; born 7 January 1930) is an Israeli former Olympic basketball player. Basketball career Wiener-Gafni was a member of the sports club Maccabi Tel Aviv, located in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was a g ...

(born 1930), Israeli Olympic basketball player * Yehuda Weisenstein (born 1955), Israeli Olympic fencer * Yehuda Zadok (born 1958), Israeli Olympic runner

Fictional characters

Judah Ben-Hur Judah Ben-Hur, shortened to Ben-Hur, is a fictional character, the title character and protagonist from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel '' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ''. The book covers the character's adventures and struggle against the Roman Empire ...

, main character of the 1880 Lew Wallace novel ''Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' and film adaptations

Biblical and ancient historical figures

People with the given name

Judah

Yehuda(h), Yehudi

Fictional characters

See also