Israel
Meaningstruggles with God · Hebrew
- US rank
- #315
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #202 in 2006
1,081 babies were named Israel in the US in 2025. It has dropped 78 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1951–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Israel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Israel
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Hawaiian singer (1959–1997)
Choose Israel and your child shares a first name with Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, a Hawaiian singer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Israel, like who?” Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's Wikipedia article is available in 56 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Israel Kamakawiwoʻole on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,580 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Israel, 1,081 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Israel would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryIsrael has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Israels, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2006, when it reached #202.
- TrendIsrael has slipped 78 places over the last five years and now sits at #315. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedIsrael is most popular in New Mexico, where it ranks #161, followed by Hawaii (#180) and Texas (#180). It's in the top 1,000 in 36 states.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Israel means “struggles with God”.
About the name Israel
Israel is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “struggles with God”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with I and ending in “-ael”. US birth records list Israel for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2006, when it ranked #202 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #315, with 1,081 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.3 | 3,214,286 girls |
| 1960s | 0.4 | 2,777,778 girls |
| 1970s | 4.0 | 247,525 girls |
| 1980s | 4.1 | 246,305 girls |
| 1990s | 16 | 63,331 girls |
| 2000s | 21 | 48,239 girls |
| 2010s | 30 | 33,613 girls |
| 2020s | 32 | 31,513 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 184 | 5,426 boys |
| 1890s | 143 | 6,969 boys |
| 1900s | 155 | 6,462 boys |
| 1910s | 162 | 6,166 boys |
| 1920s | 101 | 9,911 boys |
| 1930s | 73 | 13,646 boys |
| 1940s | 64 | 15,552 boys |
| 1950s | 91 | 10,933 boys |
| 1960s | 141 | 7,084 boys |
| 1970s | 328 | 3,052 boys |
| 1980s | 342 | 2,925 boys |
| 1990s | 524 | 1,907 boys |
| 2000s | 807 | 1,239 boys |
| 2010s | 840 | 1,191 boys |
| 2020s | 813 | 1,230 boys |
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Israel
What does the name Israel mean?
Israel means “struggles with God” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Israel?
Israel has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is Israel a boy or girl name?
Israel is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Israel?
Israel ranked #315 for US boys in 2025, given to 1,081 babies. Its best year was 2006 (#202).