What Does the Name Hadassah Mean?
Hadassah is the feminine form of the Hebrew word hadas, meaning "myrtle" — the fragrant evergreen shrub used in ancient Jewish ritual and still carried today during the holiday of Sukkot. Scholars broadly agree on this botanical root, even though a few writers have floated "compassion" as a looser, unverified gloss.
The Origin & History of Hadassah
The name appears once in the Hebrew Bible, in the Book of Esther, where it is given as the birth name of the young Jewish woman who became queen of Persia and saved her people — she later went by the Persian name Esther at court. A Talmudic passage (Megillah 13a) links the name to the greenish cast of myrtle leaves, reading it as a poetic echo of her complexion. The name has stayed in steady use among Jewish families ever since, and in the twentieth century it also became the name of a major American Jewish women's organization founded in 1912.
Cultural Reach
Beyond its biblical roots, Hadassah carries real institutional weight in American Jewish life because of the century-old women's organization that bears the name, known for its medical and humanitarian work. That association has kept the name recognizable well past its biblical origins, lending it a sense of purpose alongside its botanical meaning.
Personality & Traits
Hadassah feels dignified, resilient, and quietly strong — fitting for a name tied to a queen who acted with courage under pressure. The myrtle meaning adds a note of natural grace, evoking something hardy and sweet-smelling rather than showy.
Nicknames & Variations
Common spelling variants include Hadassa, Hadasa, and the shorter Hadas. Families sometimes shorten it informally to Dassah or Dassi in everyday use, though these are affectionate nicknames rather than standard forms.