From the Hebrew word emunah meaning faith or trust, a deeply spiritual and virtuous name.
Emunah (אֱמוּנָה) is a Hebrew word-name meaning "faith," "trust," or "steadfast belief." It derives from the root *aman* (אמן), the same ancient Semitic root that gives the world the liturgical word *amen*, a declaration of confirmation and trust spoken across Jewish, Christian, and Islamic worship. To name a child Emunah is to wrap her in one of the most theologically resonant concepts in Jewish thought — not merely belief as an intellectual position, but faithfulness as a lived, relational commitment.
In the Hebrew Bible, emunah appears memorably in the Book of Exodus when Moses holds up his hands during the battle against Amalek and his hands remain *emunat*, steady and faithful. The prophet Habakkuk's declaration that "the righteous shall live by his emunah" became one of the foundational verses of biblical theology, later cited by Paul in his letters and central to Reformation arguments about faith and works. The name thus carries centuries of spiritual weight across multiple traditions.
Among religious Jewish communities — particularly in Israel and in Orthodox and Hasidic diaspora communities — Emunah is a cherished virtue name, given to girls as both a blessing and a lifelong reminder. It belongs alongside names like Tova (goodness) and Chaya (life) in the canon of Hebrew names that double as ethical ideals. In recent years Emunah has appeared occasionally outside strictly religious circles, appreciated by parents who seek a name that is rare in secular contexts, phonetically beautiful, and philosophically serious.