Kippahs: Origin, Traditions & Etymology

Traditionally the kippahs was worn only by men (women covered their heads more completely with scarves, hats, or wigs), but in modern times the push for equality between the sexes in the practice of Judaism has led some non-Orthodox women to also wear kippahs. Some Jews wear kippot only while praying, making blessings, or studying Jewish religious texts; more traditional Jews wear kippot the entire day, making sure not to walk more than four cubits (about 2 metres) without a head covering, especially outside.
Any head covering is acceptable according to Jewish law; a kippah is simply a convenient alternative due to its compactness and low weight, though it has become identified as a symbol of Jewishness in the last century. Many orthodox males alternatively wear baseball caps in other social settings. However, in American cities with large populations of observant Jews, the kippah is more socially acceptable in indoor places where Gentiles normally remove their hats, such as schools, office buildings, courtrooms, etc.
Often, the color and fabric of the kippah can be a sign of adherence to a specific religious movement. The Israeli Religious Zionist community is often referred to by the name kippot srugot (Hebrew כיפות סרוגות), literally "knitted kippot," though they are typically crocheted. Similarly, some Haredi sects are referred to by the name kipot shkhorot (Hebrew כיפות שחורות), literally "black kippot". Kippot shkhorot are usually sewn of black fabric and often made larger than kippot srugot, particularly those worn outside Israel. More recently, kippot in the colours of a sports team supported by the wearer, especially football, have been observed. In the United States, children's kippot with cartoon characters or themes such as Star Wars are popular. (In response to this trend, some Jewish schools have banned kippot with characters that do not conform to traditional Jewish values.) Some Breslov Hasidim, most notably the followers of the late Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser, wear a large white knitted yarmulke with the Na Nach Nachma mantra on it.

In Hebrew, the word kippah means dome, but the etymology of yarmulke is not clear. Some linguists (e.g. Max Vasmer) maintain that the Yiddish word is derived (via Ukrainian or Polish) from the Turkic yağmurluk, meaning 'rainwear'. Other linguists (e.g. Herbert Zeiden) regard this hypothesis as untenable but still believe a Turkic origin is likely, suggesting that the first part of the word may come from yarim, a Turkic adjective meaning 'half', while the second part may come from qap, a Turkic word for 'cap', 'shell', 'enclosure', or 'container'.