Meaning & History
Bala is the Latin form of the Biblical name Bilhah. In the Old Testament, Bilhah was the handmaid of Rachel, who gave her to her husband Jacob as a concubine. Bilhah bore Jacob two sons: Dan and Naphtali, who became founders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name Bilhah means "bashful" in Hebrew. The Latin form Bala appears in the Latin Bible, specifically in the Vulgate translation, where it is used in passages such as Genesis 29:29 and 30:3-7. This variant reflects the Latin rendering of the Hebrew name.
Bala is distinct from the masculine name Bala (a different origin) and should not be confused with the unrelated Old Testament figures Balak or Balaam. While Bilhah remains the primary form in English translations, Bala is found in Latin contexts and influenced later Christian usage in Romance languages.
- Meaning: "bashful"
- Origin: Hebrew, Latinized
- Type: Biblical name
- Usage region: Latin Bible, historical Christianity