Given name & surname
Yisrael
“he who strives with God”·“God perseveres”
In English use, Yisrael has a related form in Israel. Interpretations include “he who strives with God” (Hebrew) and “God perseveres” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Yisrael has a related form in Israel. Interpretations include “he who strives with God” (Hebrew) and “God perseveres” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Yisrael has a related form in Israel. An origin associated with Israel is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1976. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Yisrael has a related form in Israel. The history of Israel gives this family its wider story. Israel appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Yisrael through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,560
- 1,560 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 83 babies
- 2025
- 64
- #2,227 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 64 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,227 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (24). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,000 as a first name in 2020; 831 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.
Yisrael’s family of names
In Ladino usage, Yisrael has a conventional equivalent in the Chinese form 以色列. In English usage, Yisrael has a related form in Israel.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Yisrael
- Yisrael Meir LauPolish-born Israeli rabbi and Holocaust survivor (b. 1937)
- Yisrael GaliliIsraeli politician (1911-1986)
- Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhinhasidic rabbi and rebe founder of the Ruzhyn dynasty (1796–1850)
- Yisrael KessarIsraeli politician (1931–2019)
- Yisrael HassonIsraeli politicianborn 1955
- Yisrael Bar-YehudaIsraeli politician (1895–1965)
- Yisrael GuriIsraeli politician (1893–1965)
- Yisrael AmirIsraeli Air Force Commander (1903–2002)
- Yisrael KatzIsraeli politician, former Minister of Labor and Social Welfare (1927-2010)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Yisrael, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Eithan
“firmness” · “long-lived”
>99% boys
Gianni
“God is gracious”
80% boys · 20% girls
Tahan
“encampment”
>99% boys
Abiezer
“my father is help” · “father of help”
>99% boys
Amael
>99% boys
Ismael
“God will listen”
>99% boys
Ares
“Ares' dome” · “the containment of competition”
96% boys · 4% girls
Osiel
>99% boys