Given name & surname
Issachar
“hireling”·“he will be rewarded”
Issachar is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “hireling” (Hebrew) and “he will be rewarded” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewיששכר
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “hireling” (Hebrew) and “he will be rewarded” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Hebrew, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
The name appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Issachar appears in Genesis 30:18.
From biblical name research
Issachar through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 162
- 162 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2019
- 20 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #6,601 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −9%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,601 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 20 in 2019. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 182 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Issachar’s family of names
Issachar has a related form in Isachar. In Latin usage, Issachar has a conventional equivalent in the Russian form Иссакар. In German usage, Issachar has a conventional equivalent in the Russian form Иссахар.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 12
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Josiahshares a root
- Dovsee also
- Loisshares a root
- Ishvishares a root
- Enoshshares a root
- Ishishares a root
- Sacarshares a root
- Eshbaalshares a root
Show 4 moreShow fewer
People named Issachar
- Issachar Berend LehmannGerman-Jewish banker, Court Jew in Hanover (1661–1730)
- Issachar Jacox RobertsAmerican missionary in China1802–1871
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Issachar, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Amaziah
“Yah is strong” · “strength of Yah”
90% boys · 10% girls
Abiner
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Ithiel
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Abaddon
“destructive one” · “place of destruction”
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Azarel
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Eliphaz
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Ezekias
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Abimael
“God is father” · “a father is El”
>99% boys