Séphora is the French form of Zipporah, the wife of Moses in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The name derives from the Hebrew Zipporah (Tsippora), which is based on tsippor meaning "bird".In English and other languages, the name is typically rendered directly from the Hebrew, while French uses Séphora (or Sephora) as a phonetic adaptation with an acute accent over the first 'e', indicating a closer pronunciation to the original.The biblical Zipporah is introduced in the Book of Exodus. As the wife of Moses and a Kenite or Midianite woman, she intervenes in a somewhat enigmatic episode where she circumcises her son to save Moses. Her prominence in Scripture is small but affects Jewish tradition: according to Exodus, she and her sons did not accompany Moses to Egypt; his father-in-law Jethro (also referred to as Reuel) brought her later. Rabbinic midrash embellishes on Zipporah's wisdom and modesty, but the name itself, though obscure today in popular culture, retains a lyrical and ancient aura.The French usage of Séphora follows common patterns of Latin and modern language adaptation of biblical names. Related variants include the biblical Greek Sepphora and the Hebrew Tzippora as well as Yiddish-influenced Tzipora and Tziporah. Among Francophone Christians and in countries influenced by French such as Canada, name Séphora has some regional use, although it remains less common than traditional Jane-style names.