Israel Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Israel is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Israel?
Israel is spelled I-S-R-A-E-L. The name has 6 letters.
Israel at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Israel means “he who struggles with God” or “God contends.”
- Origin
- Israel is a name of Hebrew origin, appearing in biblical texts as the name given to the patriarch Jacob.
- Pronunciation
- IHZ-ree-uhl · 3 syllables
Israel Popularity in 2025
Rank#3,577
Recorded Births42
Rank#315
Recorded Births1,081
- Girls usage rose 245 places to #3,577 and recorded 3 more births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 37 places to #315 and recorded 145 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Israel Mean?
Israel means “he who struggles with God” or “God contends.”
Origin: Israel is a name of Hebrew origin, appearing in biblical texts as the name given to the patriarch Jacob.
How Do You Pronounce Israel?
PronunciationIHZ-ree-uhl
Syllables3
What Is the History of the Name Israel?
- History
- The name Israel has been used historically within Jewish and Christian contexts, derived from its biblical usage to denote the descendants of Jacob and later as the name of a nation.
Israel Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 42 | #3,577 |
| 2025 | Boys | 1,081 | #315 |
| 2024 | Girls | 39 | #3,822 |
| 2024 | Boys | 1,226 | #278 |
| 2023 | Girls | 55 | #3,014 |
| 2023 | Boys | 1,537 | #229 |
| 2022 | Girls | 56 | #2,956 |
| 2022 | Boys | 1,509 | #233 |
| 2021 | Girls | 57 | #2,929 |
| 2021 | Boys | 1,548 | #234 |
| 2020 | Girls | 60 | #2,748 |
| 2020 | Boys | 1,532 | #237 |
| 2019 | Girls | 69 | #2,538 |
| 2019 | Boys | 1,622 | #234 |
| 2018 | Girls | 70 | #2,508 |
| 2018 | Boys | 1,596 | #239 |
| 2017 | Girls | 55 | #2,964 |
| 2017 | Boys | 1,594 | #235 |
| 2016 | Girls | 52 | #3,139 |
| 2016 | Boys | 1,679 | #232 |
| 2015 | Girls | 60 | #2,890 |
| 2015 | Boys | 1,582 | #240 |
| 2014 | Girls | 58 | #2,922 |
| 2014 | Boys | 1,541 | #242 |
When Was Israel Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
2007 · Boys
1,937 recorded births
National rank #204
2006 · Boys
1,927 recorded births
National rank #202
2008 · Boys
1,832 recorded births
National rank #210
2009 · Boys
1,776 recorded births
National rank #211
Where Israel Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| NM | #161 | 12 |
| TX | #180 | 205 |
| HI | #180 | 6 |
| CA | #195 | 188 |
| AZ | #214 | 39 |
| SD | #257 | 5 |
| NV | #267 | 11 |
| WA | #271 | 27 |