Israel
Israel: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɪz.ɹeɪ.əl/ · /ˈɪz.ɹi.əl/
Meaning and origin of Israel
Root meaning: “Sarah”
- A male given name from Hebrew.
Etymology
From Middle English Israel, from Old English, borrowed from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él, “Israel”). In the Bible, it is said to be from the name יִשְׂרֶה אֵל (yisré 'él) given to Jacob in Genesis 32:29, after which his descendants came to be known as Israelites and their land as the "kingdom/land of Israel". The personal name, already attested in Eblaite 𒅖𒊏𒅋 (iš-ra-il) and Ugaritic 𐎊𐎌𐎗𐎛𐎍 (yšrỉl), has been variously translated as "he wrestles with God", "he prevails with God", or "God rules" (possibly from the same root ש־ר־ה/ש־ר־ר as שָׂרָה (“Sarah”)). Line 27 of the Merneptah Stele (from about 1200 B.C.E.) is thought to contain the earl
How popular is Israel?
Since 1880, 1,637 girls and 71,237 boys in the U.S. have been named Israel (2% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #2516 in 2018. Its highest rank for boys was #202 in 2006. In 2025 it ranked #315 for boys, with 1,123 babies given the name.
Names similar to Israel
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Hebrew boy names
Sibling name ideas for Israel
Sister and brother names that share Israel's Hebrew roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Israel FAQ
What does the name Israel mean?
Israel traces back to a root meaning "Sarah". A male given name from Hebrew. From Middle English Israel, from Old English, borrowed from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él, “Israel”). In the Bible, it is said to be from the name יִשְׂרֶה אֵל (yisré 'él) given to Jacob in Genesis 32:29, after which his descendants came to be known as Israelites and their land as the "kingdom/land of Israel". The personal name, already attested in Eblaite 𒅖𒊏𒅋 (iš-ra-il) and Ugaritic 𐎊𐎌𐎗𐎛𐎍 (yšrỉl), has been variously translated as "he wrestles with God", "he prevails with God", or "God rules" (possibly from the same root ש־ר־ה/ש־ר־ר as שָׂרָה (“Sarah”)). Line 27 of the Merneptah Stele (from about 1200 B.C.E.) is thought to contain the earl
What is the origin of the name Israel?
Israel is listed as a name of Hebrew origin.
How popular is the name Israel?
Since 1880, 1,637 girls and 71,237 boys in the U.S. have been named Israel (2% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #2516 in 2018. Its highest rank for boys was #202 in 2006. In 2025 it ranked #315 for boys, with 1,123 babies given the name.
Is Israel a boy or girl name?
Israel is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 1,637 girls and 71,237 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.