Lilith

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ORIGIN AND HISTORY

Lilith is a name derived from the Babylonian and Assyrian lilitu “belonging to the night” and the Akkadian Lilitu, which is connected by folk etymology with the Hebrew laylah, meaning "night." ^[1]

According to The Lilith Library: "In one version of the bin-Sira version of the Bible, Lilith is the first wife of Adam (before Eve) and was created at the same time that god created Adam. In Greek myth, she is the goddess of the dark moon (Artemis is the goddess of the full moon, and Hecate is the goddess of the crescent moon). In Mesopotamian legends, Lilith is a fertility/earth goddess who protects people's children and helps to harvest food. In both Arabic and Jewish myths however, she is a succubus. A demon-woman who hunts men, seduces them and drains their life with a kiss. Jewish mothers believed Lilith would come to take their children away and eat them." These beliefs continued for centuries. As late as the 18th century, it was a common practice in many cultures to protect new mothers and their infants with amulets against Lilith. ^[1]

The legend that Lilith was the first wife of Adam, before Eve, comes from Jewish folklore and first appears in Alphabet of Ben Sira, which was written sometime between the 8th and 10th centuries. The unknown author claims that God created both Adam and Lilith from dust, so she insisted that they were equals and refused to lie beneath him. Adam claimed that he was superior to her and refused to lie beneath her, saying that she was fit only for the bottom position. Lilith flew away, and God, in answer to Adam’s prayer, sent three angels to bring her back. When the angels found her, they told her that if she didn’t go back with them, 100 of her children would die every day, and so according to legend, 100 demons die every day. However, in retribution, Lilith said that she would kill human babies unless the three angels’ names were inscribed on amulets worn by, or placed near, the babies, and this became common practice until well into the 18th century.

Different versions of the Lilith legend abound:

• God created Lilith because Adam was tired of with sex with animals.
• Adam and Lilith were originally twins joined at the back.
• According to a Muslim legend, after Lilith left Adam, she slept with Satan.
• In order to produce demon sons, Lilith seduces and sleeps with human men.
• Lilith herself was turned into an ugly demon for leaving Adam.
• In the Middle Ages it was said that Lilith was the wife, lover, or grandmother of Satan. When men had nocturnal emissions, they believed they had been seduced by her, and when it was a Christian man, she laughed.
• If a baby laughed when it was asleep, it meant that Lilith was there, and tapping the baby’s nose made her go away. ^[1]

Many (perhaps all) human religions have a version of the Lilith myth.^[1]

POPULARITY

Lilith has not appeared in the top 1000 baby names in the United States in any recorded year.^[1]

In other countries^[1]:

• 683rd - as a girl's name in Australia (2002)
• 1552nd - as a girl's name in Belgium (2003)

FACTS

• Lilith Fair was a concert tour and traveling music festival, founded by musician Sarah McLachlan. The festival consisted solely of female solo artists and female-led bands. The duration of this tour was from 1997 to 1999. At each Lilith Fair venue, one dollar for each ticket sold was given to a women's charity in that community.^[1]
• Lilith McLelland is a Wiccan priestess in Salem, MA. She cofounded Salem’s Witches’ Education Bureau, and is a frequent guest on national television and radio shows.^[1]
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art displays portrait "Lady Lilith" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. This painting was completed in 1876.^[1]
• In astrology, Lilith is a dark moon, representing the darker side of human nature, hatred, and envy.
• In numerology, people named Lilith tend to be philosophers; they’re analytical and understanding. Often lost in thought, they tend to be introverted, which leads people to think (mistakenly) that they’re somewhat aloof.
• According to Kabalarian Philosophy, the name Lilith creates a very sensitive nature and idealism, but also moodiness. People with that name can excel in the arts and through them express their deeper feelings. ^[1]

NAMESAKES

• Lilith is the name of asteroid number 1181, which orbits among the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This asteroid orbits the Sun in around 4 years.^[1]

Movies:

• Lilith (1959) (TV)
• Lilith (1964)
• Mark of Lilith (1986)
• Lilith on Top (2001)
• Lilith Fair: A Celebration of Women in Music (1997) (TV) ^[1]

Characters in movies and on TV:

• Lilith 'Lily' Prescott (How the West Was Won) (1962), Debbie Reynolds
• Lilith (Doctor Who) (2005), Christina Cole
• Lilith Beresford (Awake) (2007), Lena Olin
• Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane (Cheers) 1982 Bebe Neuwirth
• Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane (Frasier) 1993 Bebe Neuwirth
• Lilith McKechnie (As the World Turns) (1956) Played by Sara Botsford ^[1]

FAMOUS PERSONS

• Lilith Adams: actress
• Lilith Astaroth: actress
• Lilith Beitchman: actress
• Lilith Borchert: actress
• Lilith D. Berdischewsky: writer and film producer
• Lilith Marie Mosecker: actress
• Lilith Miles: actress
• Lilit Mkrtchian: chess player (born August 9, 1982, Armenia)
• Lilith Nagar: actress
• Lilith Piri: Producer
• Lilith Rudhart: actress
• Lilith Stabs: actress (born October 5, 1968)
• Lilith Ungerer: German actress (born April 8, 1944)
• Lilith Verstrynge: actress
• Eve Lilith: actress

NOTES

References:
http://www.imdb.com/find?s=nm&q=lilith&x=0&y=0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith_%28disambiguation%29

Campbell, Mike. "View Name: Lilith." Behind the Name. 12 May 2008 <. http://www.behindthename.com/name/lilith/>.

Gruber, Brian & Rachel. "The meaning of Lilith." BirthVillage.com. 12 May 2008 <http://www.birthvillage.com/meaning/Lilith/>.

Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary. 12 May 2008 <http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=lilith&searchmode=none/>.

Hefner, Alan G.. "Lilith." Encyclopedia Mythica. 25 Jul 2004. MMVI Encyclopedia Mythica. 12 May 2008 <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/l/lilith.html/>.

Humm, Alan. "The Story of Lilith." Alan Humm. 17 Dec 1998. 12 May 2008 <http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Topics/Lilith/alphabet.html/>.

Segal, Eliezer. "Looking for Lilith." from the Sources. 06 Feb 1995. 12 May 2008 <http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/950206_Lilith.html/>.

"Lilith." BabyNamer. Oxygen Media. 12 May 2008 <http://www.babynamer.com/lilith/>.

"Lilith - Name Meaning and Origin." Think Baby Names. Thinkbabynames.com. 12 May 2008 <http://www.thinkbabynames.com/search.php?g=0&t=1&s=lilith/>.

"Meaning and origin of Lilith." Birthcare. Birthcare, LLC.. 12 May 2008 <http://www.mybirthcare.com/favorites/F/Hebrew/meaning.asp?name=Lilith/>.

"Popular Baby Names." Social Security Online. 11 May 2007. Social Security Administration. 12 May 2008 <http://ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/>.

"Your First Name of: Lilith." Kabalarian Philosophy. Society of Kabalarians of Canada & Kabalarian Philosophy. 12 May 2008 <http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/DisplayNameAnalysis.cfm/>.

Ancestor Search. SearchforAncestors.com. 12 May 2008 <http://www.ancestry.com/facts/smith-name-meaning.ashx?fn=lilith&yr/>.

IMDb The Internet Movie Database. IMDb.com, Inc.. 12 May 2008 <http://www.imdb.com/find?s=tt&q=lilith&x=18&y=9/>.

OTHER LILITH'S

Lilith Adams, Lilith Adore, Lilith Aiona, Lilith Akasha, Lilith Baird, Lilith Baker, Lilith Astaroth, Lilith Beitchman, Lilith Berdischewsky, Lilith Borchert, Lilith Miles, Lilith Nagar, Lilith Piri, Lilith Rudhart, Lilith Stabs, Lilith Ungerer, Lilith Verstrynge, Lilith Hawkins, Lilith Howsare, More results

Author: JL Perry