Hadassah peaked in 2024 and currently holds #532, with just under 9,000 recorded bearers. It's the Hebrew name of Queen Esther — her birth name before she took the Persian name Esther in the royal court. For Jewish families, Hadassah is a name with deep scriptural and organizational meaning. For parents outside that tradition, it's an unusual find: a name with centuries of history that reads as entirely fresh to most American ears.
The Myrtle and the Queen
Hadassah comes from the Hebrew hadas, meaning "myrtle" — a fragrant Mediterranean plant associated with love, peace, and the divine presence in Jewish tradition. The myrtle is one of the Four Species used during Sukkot. In the Book of Esther, Hadassah is the birth name of the Jewish woman who becomes Queen of Persia and saves her people from destruction — one of the most dramatic stories in the Hebrew Bible. That narrative gives the name a quality of hidden strength and revealed courage. Browse Hebrew-origin names for the full scriptural family.
Hadassah the Organization
In American Jewish culture, Hadassah is also the name of the largest Jewish women's organization in the United States — founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, with a focus on healthcare and humanitarian work in Israel. That organizational identity means the name carries a specific community resonance for American Jews: it's not just a biblical name, it's a living institutional name associated with service and advocacy.
Four Syllables and Spelling Complexity
Ha-DAS-sah has a beautiful cadence , the double-S creates a gentle sibilance in the middle. The challenge is that most non-Hebrew speakers will misspell and mispronounce it on first encounter. The double-S is particularly surprising to those unfamiliar with Hebrew transliteration conventions. That's a real friction for everyday life. Nicknames Hady or Dassah exist but aren't established. Compare with Esther , Hadassah's own alternate name , if you want the same scriptural depth with simpler pronunciation.