Israel

Israel - A very unique male name

Israel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #504. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Israel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Israel? 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 Israel. The baby boy name Israel was given to 1,054 baby boys in 2025, ranking #319 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,391 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Israel peaked in popularity 20 years ago in 2006 on position 202.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Israel, 1-5?

Israel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Israel is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #168 - and is the least popular in Alabama at position #710.

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 Israel is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Israel origin and meaning

Hebrew, biblical

'He wrestles with God,' traditionally understood as 'God prevails'

In Genesis, Jacob is renamed Israel after wrestling through the night, from the Hebrew Yisra'el. The name then belongs to the patriarch, his descendants and the land, and it has been in US data every year since 1910. It peaked in 2007 and has eased down since.

Attested etymology

Israel is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Israel

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

Isreal / Izrael / Isrrael / Izreal /

---

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 Israel

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 Israel 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 Israel?

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.

---

Pronunciation

IZ-ree-el · /ˈɪzriəl/

Around the world

• Israel (Spanish) — Used as-is in Spanish
• Israel (Portuguese) — Used as-is in Portuguese

Spellings and nicknames

• Yisrael — Transliteration of the Hebrew form

Nicknames: Izzy

Famous bearers

• Israel Kamakawiwo'ole — Hawaiian singer known for his medley of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' (1959–1999) Historical
• Israel Adesanya — Nigerian-New Zealand mixed martial artist (b. 1989) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalInternationalPlace name

Why parents choose it

Israel carries deep biblical and family meaning for many parents, and its steady, familiar sound keeps it in regular use.

Worth knowing

• The name is also a modern country, so it can read as a political statement to some listeners.