Hillel

Hillel - A very unique male name

Hillel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1929 on position #1731. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Hillel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Hillel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Hillel. The baby boy name Hillel was given to 11 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3035 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 133,299 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Hillel peaked in popularity 60 years ago in 1966 on position 1321.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Hillel, 1-5?

Hillel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Hillel is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #1,074 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,074.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Hillel is where you live.

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Hillel origin and meaning

Hebrew

From Hebrew hillel, 'greatly praised' or 'jubilation'

Hillel is the name of Hillel the Elder, the first-century BCE sage whose school shaped rabbinic Judaism and whose saying — 'If I am not for myself, who will be for me?' — is still quoted. The name has been used in Jewish families ever since and appears in the American data from 1929.

Attested etymology

Hillel is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Hillel, pop culture references for the name Hillel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Hillel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Hillel, sorted by popularity.

Hal / Howell / Halo / Hoyle / Hollie / Hallie / Haley / Holly / Helio / Hall /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Hillel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Hillel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Hillel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

hil-EL · /hɪˈlɛl/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Hillel the Elder — Jewish sage of the first century BCE whose teachings helped found rabbinic Judaism (c. 110 BCE–c. 10 CE) Historical

Style

BiblicalInternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Hillel is a name of real intellectual and spiritual weight in Jewish tradition, chosen by families who want that heritage explicit. Outside Jewish communities it is little known, which some families count as a plus.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation — hil-EL, not HILL-el — will need explaining outside Jewish settings.