Chaim means life — from the Hebrew. L'chaim IS the most famous Jewish toast — To Life! The word IS life itself in Hebrew. Chaim Potok wrote The Chosen — one of the most important American-Jewish novels. Two syllables of the most famous Jewish toast, life-itself, and The-Chosen-most-important.
Chaim means life. L'chaim IS the most famous Jewish toast — To Life! Potok wrote The Chosen.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Hebrew; Chaim Potok (1929–2002).
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Today
Chaim remains a beloved choice, ranking #692 in the US. 11,653 babies have been named Chaim since 1942.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Hebrew tradition, SSA data
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How popular is Chaim?
2022peak year
Chaim has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks around #692, with about 375 babies named Chaim each year. In 2022, 462 babies received the name (ranked #607). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 11,653.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Chaim's Life Path 9 is the humanitarian's number — life-itself humanitarianism. People named Chaim tend to be sacred, vital, and gifted at being the Hebrew word for life itself.
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