The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the

Hebrew language Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserve ...

, or deriving from the Old German name '' Haimo''.

Hebrew etymology

Chayyim ( he, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Haim, Hayim, Chayim'', or ''Chaim'' (English pronunciations: , , ), is a

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

name meaning "life". Its first usage can be traced to the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. It is a popular name among Jewish people. The feminine form for this name is Chaya ( he, חַיָּה ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ; English pronunciations: , ). '' Chai'' is the Hebrew word for "alive". According to

Kabbalah Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...

, the name Hayim helps the person to remain healthy, and people were known to add Hayim as their second name to improve their health. In the United States, Chaim is a common spelling; however, since the phonemic pattern is unusual for English words, Hayim is often used as an alternative spelling. The "ch" spelling comes from transliteration of the

letter " chet", which also starts words like Chanukah, Channa, etc., which can also be spelled as Hanukah and Hannah. It is

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical ef ...

to the

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

word ('), with the same meaning, deriving from the same Proto-Semitic root. Hebrew letters are also used as numerals, and the Hebrew letters that spell "chai" also stand for the number 18. Thus, 18 is considered a

lucky number In number theory, a lucky number is a natural number in a set which is generated by a certain "sieve". This sieve is similar to the Sieve of Eratosthenes that generates the primes, but it eliminates numbers based on their position in the rema ...

in Jewish culture. It is common to give gifts and contributions to charity in multiples of 18. Among

Argentine Jews The history of the Jews in Argentina goes back to the early sixteenth century, following the Jewish expulsion from Spain. Sephardi Jews fleeing persecution immigrated with explorers and colonists to settle in what is now Argentina, in spite o ...

, the Spanish name

Jaime Jaime is a common Spanish and Portuguese male given name for Jacob (name), James (name), Jamie, or Jacques. In Occitania Jacobus became ''Jacome'' and later ''Jacme''. In east Spain, ''Jacme'' became ''Jaime'', in Aragon it became ''Chaime'', and ...

(, a Spanish cognate of James) is often chosen for its

phonetic Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds, or in the case of sign languages, the equivalent aspects of sign. Linguists who specialize in studying the physical properties of speech are phoneticians. ...

similarity to Haim. Hayim is a non-governmental organization that works on a voluntary basis to provide relief and support for pediatric oncology patients in Israel. The names '' Vivian'' and '' Zoe'' have a similar meaning.

L'Chaim toast

L'Chaim in Hebrew is a toast meaning "to life". When a couple becomes engaged, they get together with friends and family to celebrate. Since they drink ''l'chaim'' ("to life"), the celebration is also called a l'chaim. The origins of the custom to toast this way may be traced to an account described in the Talmud, where R. Akiva said upon pouring cups of wine poured at a banquet a benediction of "Wine and life to the mouth of the sages, wine and life to the mouth of the sages and their students." Many reasons for this custom have been offered. One reason based on the

Zohar The ''Zohar'' ( he, , ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five ...

is to wish that the wine would be tied to the tree of life and not to the tree of death with which Eve had sinned. A second reason brought forward is that there was a common practice to make people who intend to kill drink wine and thereby be calmed, and therefore there is a custom to proclaim "to life!" over wine in the hope that it will prevent bloodshed. A third reason is that wine was created to comfort those who are in mourning (based on Proverbs 31:6) and there emerged a practice to toast thus when drinking in sad times in the hope that one day the drinker will drink wine in good happy times, and the practice of toasting this way subsequently extended to all situations.S.Z. Ariel (1960), ''Enẓiklopedyah Me'ir Nativ le-Halakhot, Minhagim, Darkhei Musar u-Ma'asim Tovim'', s.v. ""

Old German etymology

The earliest attested forms of this etymology occur in Old German, as '' Haimo''. This Old German name was borrowed into

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intel ...

, including into the

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 *Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature *Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...

dialect spoken in England, in forms including ''Haim''. This became one source of the English surname ''Haim'', along with variants like ''Hame'', ''Haim'', ''Haime'', ''

Haimes Haimes is an English language surname. Etymology According to the ''Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland'', the modern name ''Haimes'' originates in two different medieval names, which came to sound the same around the sixtee ...

'', ''Hains'', '' Haines'', ''Hayns'', ''

Haynes Haynes may refer to: People *Haynes (surname) Places In Australia: * Haynes, Western Australia In Canada: * Haynes, Alberta In the United Kingdom: *Haynes, Bedfordshire **Haynes Church End In the United States: *Haynes, Arkansas *Haynes, North D ...

'', ''Hammon'' and '' Hammond''.''The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland'', ed. by Patrick Hanks, Richard Coates, and Peter McClure, 4 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016), II, pp. 1168–67 .vv. ''Haim'', ''Haime'' . In 1881, 3 people in Great Britain bore the surname ''Haim'' and 67 the surname ''Haime''. Around 2011, the numbers stood at 94 and 173 respectively, with two bearers of the surname ''Haim'' in Ireland.

People with the given name Haim

Notable people with the name include: *

Haim Arlosoroff Haim Arlosoroff (February 23, 1899 – June 16, 1933; also known as Chaim Arlozorov; he, חיים ארלוזורוב) was a Socialist Zionist leader of the Yishuv during the British Mandate for Palestine, prior to the establishment of Isr ...

(1899–1933), Zionist politician * Chaim ibn Attar (1696–1743), the Or Hachaim * Haim Bar-Lev (1924–1994), Israeli military officer and government minister * Haim Ben-Shahar, Israeli economist and president of

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...

Chaim Bloom Chaim David Bloom (; born February 27, 1983) is an American sports executive who is the Chief Baseball Officer for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously worked for the Tampa Bay Rays, most recently as Senior Vice Presid ...

(born 1983), American chief baseball officer for the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

Chaim Buchbinder Chaim Buchbinder (חיים בוכבינדר; also "Haim"; born 1943) is an Israeli former basketball player. He scored 6,044 career points, the 7th-most in Israel Basketball Premier League history. Biography Buchbinder played 11 seasons for Mac ...

(born 1943), Israeli basketball player * Chaim Deutsch, New York City Council member * Chaim Elata, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering and president of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and chairman of the Israel Public Utility Authority for Electricity * Hyam Greenbaum, founder of the BBC Television Orchestra * Chaim (Harvey) Hames (born 1966), professor of history and rector at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev * Haim Harari (born 1940), Israeli

theoretical physicist Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experime ...

; president of the Weizmann Institute of Science * Haim Hazan (1937–1994), Israeli basketball player *

Chaim Herzog Aluf, Major-General Chaim Herzog ( he, חיים הרצוג; 17 September 1918 – 17 April 1997) was an Irish-born Israeli politician, general, lawyer and author who served as the List of Presidents of Israel, sixth President of Israel between ...

(1918–1997), Israeli president * Chaim Koppelman (1920–2009), American printmaker * Hyam Maccoby (1924–2004), British scholar * Chaim Hezekiah Medini (1834–1904), the Sdei Chemed – Talmudic scholar and halachist *

Haim Palachi Haim Palachi ( he, חיים פלאג'י yi, חיים פאלאדזשי; Acronym: MaHaRHaF or HaVIF) (January 28, 1788– February 10, 1868) was a Jewish- Turkish chief rabbi of Smyrna ( İzmir) and author in Ladino and Hebrew. His titles inclu ...

(or Palagi, 1788–1868), Torah scholar *

Hyam Plutzik Hyam Plutzik (July 13, 1911 – January 8, 1962), a Pulitzer prize finalist, was a poet and Professor of English at the University of Rochester. Books *''The Three'' (Yale University Prize Poem, 1933). New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, ...

(1911–1962), English poet and academic *

Chaim Potok Chaim Potok (February 17, 1929 – July 23, 2002) was an American author and rabbi. His first book '' The Chosen'' (1967), was listed on ''The New York Times’'' best seller list for 39 weeks and sold more than 3,400,000 copies. Biography ...

(1929–2002), American Jewish author *

Haim Revivo Haim Michael Revivo ( he, חיים מיכאל רביבו; born 22 February 1972) is a retired Israeli football player who played as a midfielder, and a businessman. Sports career Revivo is Jewish and was born to a traditional Mizrahi Jewish fam ...

(born 1972), Israeli former international footballer *

J. Hyam Rubinstein Joachim Hyam Rubinstein FAA (born 7 March 1948, in Melbourne) an Australian top mathematician specialising in low-dimensional topology; he is currently serving as an honorary professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the Univ ...

(born 1948), Australian mathematician * Haim Saban (born 1944), Israeli-American media mogul * Haym Salomon (1740–1785), primary financier of the American Revolution * Haim Starkman (born 1944), Israeli basketball player *

Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz Chaim Leib Halevi Shmuelevitz, ( he, חיים לייב שמואלביץ ;1902–1979) — also spelled Shmulevitz — was a member of the faculty of the Mirrer Yeshiva for more than 40 years, in Poland, Shanghai and Jerusalem, serving as Rosh ...

(1902–1979), Mirrer Rosh HaYeshiva * Chaim Topol (born 1935), Israeli actor *

Hayyim Tyrer Hayyim ben Solomon Tyrer () was an important Hasidic rabbi and kabbalist, and is today remembered for several well known Hasidic works. He is also known as "Hayyim of Czernowitz", after his time there. He was a pupil of Rabbi Yechiel Michl (t ...

(died 1813), rabbi *

Chaim Weizmann Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( he, חיים עזריאל ויצמן ', russian: Хаим Евзорович Вейцман, ''Khaim Evzorovich Veytsman''; 27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Russian-born biochemist, Zionist leader and Israel ...

(1874–1952), Israeli president *

Gene Simmons Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; he, חיים ויץ, ; born August 25, 1949) is an Israeli-American musician. Also known by his stage persona The Demon, he is the bassist and co-lead singer of Kiss, the hard rock band he co-founded with Paul ...

(born 1949 as Chaim Witz), Israeli-American co-founder of

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

H. M. Wynant H. M. Wynant (born Chaim Winant; February 12, 1927) is an American film and television actor. Biography Wynant was born in Detroit, Michigan. He made his feature film debut as an Indian in Samuel Fuller's ''Run of the Arrow'' (1957). In the 1 ...

(born 1927 as Chaim Winant), American actor * Chaim Zlotikman (born 1957), Israeli basketball player

People with the surname Haim

Aaron ben Hayyim Aaron ben Hayyim was an exegete who lived in the first half of the nineteenth century at Grodno, Russia. He wrote ''Moreh Derek'' (He Who Shows the Way), tracing the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, their wanderings in the desert, and the partit ...

(fl. 1836), Russian exegete *

Aharon Ibn Hayyim Aharon Ibn Hayyim ( he, אהרן אבן חיים‎ 1545–1632) was a biblical and Talmudic commentator. Born in Fez, Morocco, he served on the bet din and studied at the yeshivot of his father, Vidal ha-Zarefati and Joseph Almosnino. In 1606 h ...

(1545–1632), Biblical and Talmudic commentator * Alana (born 1991), Danielle (born 1989) and Este Haim (born 1986), members of the American band Haim * Corey Haim (1971–2010), Canadian actor *

David Bar-Hayim David Hanoch Yitzchak Bar-Hayim (Hebrew: דוד חנוך יצחק ב"ר חיים; born Mandel; born 24 February 1960) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi who heads the Shilo Institute (''Machon Shilo''), a Jerusalem-based rabbinical court and institute ...

(born 1960), Israeli rabbi * Karima Mathilda Haim or Mathilda May (born 1965), French actress * Mordechai "Moti" Haim, former Israeli footballer, father of the band members of Haim *

Nahshon Even-Chaim Nahshon Even-Chaim (born May 1971), aka Phoenix, was the first major computer hacker to be convicted in Australia. He was one of the most highly skilled members of a computer hacking group called The Realm, based in Melbourne, Australia, from the ...

or Phoenix (born 1971), Australian computer hacker * Ofir Haim (born 1975), Israeli football player * Paul Ben-Haim (1897–1984), Israeli composer * Philippe Haïm (born 1967), French film director, writer and composer * Salim Haim (1919–1983), Iraqi dermatologist *

Solayman Haïm Solayman Haïm (also Soleyman or Soleiman), who appears in dictionaries in English under the name Sulayman Hayyim ( fa, سلیمان حییم) ( in Tehran, Iran – February 14, 1970 in Tehran), was an Iranian lexicographer, translator, playw ...

(1887–1970), Iranian lexicographer, translator, playwright and essayist *

Werner Haim Werner Haim (born 21 February 1968) is an Austrian former ski jumper. Career In the World Cup he finished 32 times among the top 10, his best result being a victory from Liberec in January 1990. He finished ninth in the overall World Cup that sea ...

(born 1968), Austrian ski jumper * Yehuda Ben-Haim (1955–2012), Israeli boxer * Yehoyada Haim (born 1941), Israeli diplomat * Yosef Hayyim (1832–1909), Sephardic Rabbi *

Ze'ev Ben-Haim Ze'ev Wolf Goldman, later known as Ze'ev Ben-Haim ( he, זאב בן-חיים) (28 December 1907 – 6 August 2013), was a leading Israeli linguist and a former president of the Academy of the Hebrew Language. Biography Ben-Haim was born in M ...

(born 1907), Israeli linguist * Zemah ben Hayyim (fl. 889–895), Gaon of Sura *

Zigi Ben-Haim Zigi Ben-Haim (born 1945 in Baghdad, Iraq) is an American-Israeli Painting, painter and sculptor who lives and works in New York City and Israel. Current Projects Why Flowers? "CoronaTime has accentuated our existence between life and death. ...

(born 1945), American-Israeli sculptor and painter

References