Hadassa

Meaning of Hadassa

Hadassa, pronounced hah-DAH-sah, derives from the Hebrew word for the fragrant myrtle shrub and is best known as the original name of Queen Esther, whose quiet valor in the biblical Megillah ensured the survival of her people; thus, the name carries an implicit narrative of resilience wrapped in botanical symbolism. Although its orthographic twin “Hadassah” is more frequently cited, the streamlined spelling without the final aspirate has circulated for centuries among Sephardic communities from the Iberian Peninsula to Latin America, where Hispano-Jewish chronicles record it alongside other floral appellatives such as Rosa and Azucena. Culturally, the myrtle has long signified peace and renewal—qualities reinforced by its ceremonial use in Sukkot and, in Mediterranean folklore, in bridal wreaths—so parents who select Hadassa often signal a wish for their daughter to embody understated strength and restorative grace. Empirically, the name’s trajectory in the United States has been steady rather than meteoric: beginning with isolated registrations in the late 1960s, it has hovered in the lower half of the Social Security rankings, recently rising to 820th place with 130 newborn bearers in 2024, a pattern suggesting measured but persistent appeal among families drawn to scriptural heritage, distinctive phonetics, and a touch of ancestral Latin warmth.