Aviv ( he, אביב) means "barley ripening", and by extension "spring season" in
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
. It is also used as a given name, surname, and place name, as in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
. The first month of the year is called the month of Aviv in the
Pentateuch
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...
. The month is called
Nisan
Nisan (or Nissan; he, נִיסָן, Standard ''Nīsan'', Tiberian ''Nīsān''; from akk, 𒊬𒊒𒄀 ''Nisanu'') in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. The name of the month is ...
in the book of Esther, and in subsequent post-exilic history up to the present day. These names are sometimes used interchangeably, although Aviv refers to the three month season, and Nisan is called the "first month of Aviv."
Meanings
*The basic meaning of the word ''aviv'' is the stage in the growth of
grain
A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit ( caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legu ...
when the seeds have reached full size and are filled with starch, but have not dried yet. During the plague of hail (
Exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Exo ...
), the
barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley ...
was said to be
n the''aviv''
tage
Tage is a masculine given name with Danish origins. People with the name include:
* Tage Åsén (born 1943), Swedish artist
* Tage Aurell (1895–1976), Swedish journalist and novelist
* Tage Brauer (1894–1988), Swedish athlete
* Tage Danielss ...
and the
flax
Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known i ...
n the''giv`ol''. This resulted in their destruction.
*The month in the
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar ( he, הַלּוּחַ הָעִבְרִי, translit=HaLuah HaIvri), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance, and as an official calendar of the state of Israel. I ...
when the
barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley ...
has reached or passed this stage ( ) is called ''Aviv'', or the "month of the ''aviv''", which is the biblical
lunar new year. , which is the Jewish religious new year (
Rosh Hashanah (tractate)
Rosh Hashanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה) is the name of a text of Jewish law originating in the Mishnah which formed the basis of tractates in both the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud of the same name. It is the eighth tract ...
2a). (The civil Babylonian year began with Tishrei, the seventh month, which is understood by rabbinic judaism to be the universal new year and day of judgement) Aviv begins about the time of the
Northern spring equinox
The March equinox or northward equinox is the equinox on the Earth when the subsolar point appears to leave the Southern Hemisphere and cross the celestial equator, heading northward as seen from Earth. The March equinox is known as the vern ...
(March 21). Since the
Babylonian captivity
The Babylonian captivity or Babylonian exile is the period in Jewish history during which a large number of Judeans from the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylon, the capital city of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, following their def ...
, this month has mainly been called
Nisan
Nisan (or Nissan; he, נִיסָן, Standard ''Nīsan'', Tiberian ''Nīsān''; from akk, 𒊬𒊒𒄀 ''Nisanu'') in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. The name of the month is ...
( ). On the “day after the Shabbat” (the 16th of the month of Nissan according to the
rabbis
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
, and the first Sunday of Passover according to the
Karaites
Karaite or Qaraite may refer to:
*Karaite Judaism, a Jewish religious movement that rejects the Talmud
**Crimean Karaites, an ethnic group derived from Turkic-speaking adherents of Karaite Judaism in Eastern Europe
***Karaim language, Turkic lan ...
), the harvest was begun by gathering a sheaf of barley, which was offered as a sacrifice to
God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
(), when the
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two now-destroyed religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jeru ...
existed.

*Abib or Aviv may also be the same star as Spica which is the ear of grain in the constellation Virgo/Virgin/Woman.
*"Aviv" in
modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew ( he, עברית חדשה, ''ʿivrít ḥadašá ', , '' lit.'' "Modern Hebrew" or "New Hebrew"), also known as Israeli Hebrew or Israeli, and generally referred to by speakers simply as Hebrew ( ), is the standard form of the He ...
accordingly also means
spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a h ...
, one of the four
seasons
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
. Thus the major modern
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i city of
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
means "Spring Hill".
*Since
Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. ...
is always celebrated on 15–21 (or 22 outside Israel) Nisan, near the beginning of spring, "Holiday of ''Aviv''". Pesach or Passover is always on the 14th of Nisan. The first day of Chag ha Matzoh or the
Feast of Unleavened Bread
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the The Exodus, Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or ...
is always the day after that, the 15th of Nisan.
[Leviticus 23:5,6] he, חג האביב, translit=Chag Ha'Aviv is an additional name for
Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. ...
.
As a name
Aviv is also a Hebrew male and female name. The old and uncommon
[Н. А. Петровский (N. A. Petrovsky). "Словарь русских личных имён" (''Dictionary of Russian First Names''). ООО Издательство "АСТ". Москва, 2005. , p. 34] Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
Christian male given name "" (''Aviv'') was possibly also borrowed from
Biblical Hebrew, where it derived from the word ''a
bī
b'', meaning ''an
ear
An ear is the organ that enables hearing and, in mammals, body balance using the vestibular system. In mammals, the ear is usually described as having three parts—the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists ...
'' or ''a time of year where grains come into ear'',
[А. В. Суперанская (A. V. Superanskaya). "Современный словарь личных имён: Сравнение. Происхождение. Написание" (''Modern Dictionary of First Names: Comparison. Origins. Spelling''). Айрис-пресс. Москва, 2005. , p. 22] also known as "Aviv" (or
Nisan
Nisan (or Nissan; he, נִיסָן, Standard ''Nīsan'', Tiberian ''Nīsān''; from akk, 𒊬𒊒𒄀 ''Nisanu'') in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. The name of the month is ...
—the first month of the
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar ( he, הַלּוּחַ הָעִבְרִי, translit=HaLuah HaIvri), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance, and as an official calendar of the state of Israel. I ...
).
[А. В. Суперанская (A. V. Superanskaya). "Словарь русских имён" (''Dictionary of Russian Names''). Издательство Эксмо. Москва, 2005. , p. 32] The feminine version of the name is
Aviva
Aviva plc is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, England. It has about 18 million customers across its core markets of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada. In the United Kingdom, Aviva is the largest general ...
.
The
diminutive
A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...
s of "Aviv" are Aviva () and Viva ().
The
patronymic
A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor.
Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, al ...
s derived from "Aviv" are "" (''Avivovich''; masculine) and "" (''Avivovna''; feminine).
Given name
*
Aviv Avraham
Aviv Daniel Avraham (or Daniel Avraham,[Daniel Avraham](_blank)
Aviv Azaria
Aviv Azaria ( he, אביב עזריה; born November 2, 1991) is an Israeli footballer.
Club career statistics
:''(correct as of May 2012)''
Honours
* Toto Cup (Leumit)
** 2011
* Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit ( he, ליגה לאומית, lit. ...
(born 1991), Israeli footballer
*
Aviv Geffen
Aviv Geffen ( he, אביב גפן, born 10 May 1973) is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter and the son of writer and poet Yehonatan Geffen and Nurit Makover, brother of actress Shira Geffen, and an alumnus of Rimon School of Jazz and ...
(born 1973), Israeli rock musician, singer, and songwriter
*
Avraham Aviv Alush
Avraham Aviv Alush ( he, אברהם אביב אלוש; born ) is an Israeli actor, musician, model, and television host. best known as Amos Dahari "The Baker" in the Israeli series '' Beauty and the Baker'', and as Jesus in the American film '' ...
(born 1982), Israeli actor, singer and model
*
Aviv Kochavi
Rav-Aluf (Lieutenant General) Aviv Kochavi ( he, אביב כוכבי; born 23 April 1964) is the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on January 15, 2019. He was the commander of the Gaza Division, ...
(born 1964), Israeli Chief of the General Staff
*
Aviv Cohen
Aviv ( he, אביב) means "barley ripening", and by extension "spring season" in Hebrew. It is also used as a given name, surname, and place name, as in Tel Aviv. The first month of the year is called the month of Aviv in the Pentateuch. The ...
(born 1985), Israeli Engineer
*
Aviv Gold (born 2006), Israeli/American Intellectual
Surname
*
Haim Aviv
Haim Aviv ( he, חיים אביב) (born as Haim Greenspan in Romania, 1940) was an Israeli scientist who specialized in the field of molecular biology. Aviv is considered to have a fundamental role in the shaping of the biotechnology industry in ...
(born 1940), Israeli molecular biologist
*
Jonathan E. Aviv
Jonathan E. Aviv (born August 24, 1960) is an American otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeon and a professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, New York. He is also Cl ...
(born 1960), American surgeon and professor
*
Juval Aviv
Juval Aviv ( he, יובל אביב February 24, 1947), also Yuval Aviv, is an Israeli-American security consultant and founder of Interfor International"A Look Ahead At The ABA Banking Leaders Forum And Annual Convention," ''ABA Banking Journal'' ...
(born 1947), Israeli-American security consultant and writer
References
External links
Abib of GodA look at ancient Israel and the harvest cycles as it relates to the abib barley.Abib (Barley) in the Hebrew Bible a description of the importance of ''aviv'' in the Karaite calendar by the World Karaite Movement
2011 Aviv ReportUpdate to that entry, showing pictures of aviv barley and how to distinguish wheat from barley: Aviv Reports added Annually
*
{{given name, type=both
Hebrew calendar
Hebrew words and phrases
Hebrew masculine given names
Russian masculine given names