The name “Jew” comes from the name of Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob and one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Apparently the name “Jew” originally referred only to those who were members of the tribe of Judah, but when the kingdom was divided after the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 12), the term referred to anyone in the kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. Today, many believe that a Jew is anyone who is a physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, regardless of which of the original twelve tribes he descends from.
Ang pangalang "Hudyo" ay nagmula sa pangalan ni Judah na isa sa labindalawang anak ni Jacob at isa sa labindalawang tribu ng Israel. Waring ang pangalang "Hudyo" ay orihinal na tumutukoy para lamang sa mga miyembro ng tribu ni Judah, ngunit ng mahati ang kaharian ng Israel pagkatapos ng paghahari ni Solomon (1 Hari 12), ang katawagang ito ay tumukoy na sa sinumang kabilang sa kaharian ng Judah na binubuo ng mga tribu ni Judah, Benjamin at Levi. Sa ngayon, maraming naniniwala na ang isang Hudyo ay sinumang tao na nanggaling sa lahi ni Abraham, Isaac at Jacob saan mang tribu siya ng Israel nanggaling.