Given name & surname
Israel
“he who strives with God”·“God perseveres”
Israel is used as a given name, a surname, and a nickname. Interpretations include “he who strives with God” (Hebrew) and “God perseveres” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewישראל
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “he who strives with God” (Hebrew) and “God perseveres” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
From Middle English Israel, from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ, from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
The name appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Israel appears in Genesis 32:28, Genesis 29:32.
- Genesis 32:28
- Genesis 29:32
From biblical name research
Israel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 72,874
- 71,237 boys · 1,637 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 1,995 babies
- 2025
- 1,123
- #315 for boys · #3,605 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −14%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,081 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 315 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 14.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,937 in 2007. It also appeared in 42 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (205). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 72,115 as a first name in 2020; 11,514 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Israel’s family of names
In English usage, Israel has a diminutive in Izzy. In English usage, Israel shares an earlier linguistic root with YISROEL. Israel has a related form in Isreal.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Israel has relatives in 14 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
19 related names in 14 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 21
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 18
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 18
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Israel
- Israel KamakawiwoʻoleHawaiian singer (1959–1997)
- Baal Shem TovPolish founder of Hasidic Judaism (1698–1760)
- Israel KatzIsraeli politician, Minister of Defense of Israelborn 1955
- Israel GelfandSoviet-American mathematician1913–2009
- Paul ReuterGerman-Jewish-born British entrepreneur and news agency founder (1816–1899)
- Ira GershwinAmerican lyricist (1896–1983)
- Israel ZangwillBritish Zionist author (1864–1926)
- Israel AdesanyaNigerian mixed martial artistborn 1989
- Israel KirznerAmerican economistborn 1930
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Israel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ebenezer
“stone of help” · “the stone of aid”
96% boys · 4% girls
Uriel
“the angel of light”
98% boys · 2% girls
Isaac
“full of laughter”
>99% boys
Isaiah
“God is salvation” · “God is my salvation”
>99% boys
Emmanuel
“God is with us”
>99% boys
Abel
“the life force; breath”
>99% boys
Gabriel
“man of God” · “a hero of God”
>99% boys
Eli
“one who has ascended; my God on high”
99% boys · 1% girls