Yiddish Names Explained
Home Up Named after Rise Stevens Calling Risa to Menswear Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Renamed myself Flower Vanilla as a kid Anyone heard of Risa Potters? I answer to Lisa, Risa, Rita, Rena... Risa-Risa Educating people on umlauts Toronto Risa My Hebrew name is Rifka Named after Gorby's wife Hi, all!! Another RioRisa Received an invitation from the U.S. Armed Services soliciting me "as a young man" to join following college. Experiences regarding my name Name of the god(esses) Another Rise Thought I was an only The R in artist International Rhesa Risa from Salt Lake City Don't call her "Rotza" With an Italian accent Named after Jeopardy winner Named after mother's friend Named after grandfather Can't find anything personalized Christened Teresa I had no idea! Rhesa the Engineer Becoming more common Rhesa: unique spelling Another Reesa Lisa with an 'R' Six Reesas in the same area Coconut Creek, Fla. Another Reesa found! Just browsing for my name Not the oldest living Reesa? Named after Luke 3:27 Close enough Rio Risa (River of Laughter) Double the pleasure........ Ukrainian-French-Canadian Birth name Laryssa inspired by Lara in "Dr. Zhivago" Reesa plays in the band Reesa's Monkey Networking Reesa's Pieces radio show Everyone says it's beautiful My name ... made me stronger Yiddish Names Explained Two great-grandmothers From Rise Stevens Called by every imaginable pronunciation Riza from the Phillipines Met Rise Stevens Named after Risė Stevens Toy license plate for Risa? Wanted to be Suzie or Jane Guess the pronunciation Being Rise Boyfriend called me HeyYou Do you see a Z in my Name? Rises in Sacramento

 

Yiddish Names Explained

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From: Risa Seiler, 55, Glen Ellyn, Ill., risa@voyager.net
Date: 11/11/02

I am Jewish, my family immigrating from Russia and Poland. Clearly, the name is of Russian origin, probably Raisa, as in Gorbachov. But even that name was adapted to Yiddish, a language based loosely on German and all the other Eastern-European languages spoken by European Jews. The Yiddish name was pronounced Roy-za. Most people whose Yiddish name was Royza in Europe, were called Rose after immigrating to the United States. I was born here, but was called "Royza" until I started kindergarten. Apparently my kindergarten teacher, Miss Rocco, saw my mother's transliteration, Risa, and pronounced it using the rules of Latin/Italian. And lo and behold, I became a true Risa.

I was named after my great-grandmother, Royza. It is the custom in my religion and family to name as a memorial to deceased ancestors. My great-grandmother was born in Europe but immigrated to the United States. She spoke and wrote only Yiddish, and her name was probably never actually written in English, aside from her immigration papers.

Being almost 6'2", my name was hardly the most unique thing about me. I also left New York for Oklahoma as a child, so there were problems with accents and cultural practices. Fortunately, it's not a terribly difficult name to read or say. I do remember when Illinois first introduced vanity license plates, and I sent in my application for RISA. I received a letter a few weeks later saying that RISA was already taken. In fact, RISA 1 and RISA 2 were taken, so they were offering me RISA 3! As all Risas know, like the "boy named Sue," we are unique, and I considered this offer unacceptable. I still look around though, hoping to someday meet the other three Illinois Risas.

I actually found the site while searching for "toy license plates." The first item in my search read, "Why don't they make toy license plates for Risa?" At first I assumed it was an advertisement, with my name inserted by the computer. But when I followed the link, I found the Reesa Society Site's essay by Risa Yanagisawa. She was bemoaning the fact that we never got all that stuff with our names on it, like toy license plates. I was thrilled to find the site. Incidentally, I became a calligrapher and personalize absolutely everything. I have always noticed that the Marys and Johns and Michaels and Emilys do not understand the excitement of owning personalized things. We Risas do.