Gabay: The family name Gabay: Alternate spellings in Latin characters: Gabay, Gabbay, Gabai, Gabbai Hebrew: גַבַי, גַבַאי   The name is clearly derived directly from the Hebrew and means a trustee or board member of a synagogue. It is also used as the word for the person who monitors the Torah reader during services  to assure correct pronunciation of the reading. In modern Hebrew it is also used to mean treasurer, which would have been one of the functions of a trustee.   The name is common throughout the Sephardic world (and including the Jews of Arab countries). The name is also found in the Philippines, where it comes from the Tagalog language and appears to mean “guide,” so one can occasionally meet non-Jewish Gabays.

Levy

The family name Levy  Latin character alternate spellings: Levy, Levi Hebrew: לֵוִי Meaning is “my addition” from the root “joined to me,” see the verse below where Leah names Levi, Jacob’s third son.   Genesis 29:34 לד   וַתַּהַר עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר עַתָּה הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה אִישִׁי אֵלַי כִּי-יָלַדְתִּי לוֹ שְׁלשָׁה בָנִים עַל-כֵּן קָרָא-שְׁמוֹ לֵוִי: Vatahar od vateled ben, vatomer atah hapaam yilaveh eeshee elai ki-yaldti lo sh’loshah vaneem al-ken kara-shmo Levi   34. And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have born him three sons; therefore was his name called Levi.   The name almost always indicates descent from Jacob’s son Levi and being of the tribe of Levites. It is a common name among all Jews from all traditions.