ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini
Perplexity
The short answer
Israel is a masculine name used in Jewish and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) meaning ‘God contends’, from the roots שָׂרָה (sara) meaning ‘to contend, to fight’ and אֵל (ʾel) meaning ‘God’. In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel." It ranked #315 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) meaning ‘God contends’, from the roots שָׂרָה (sara) meaning ‘to contend, to fight’ and אֵל (ʾel) meaning ‘God’. In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The entry lists its usage as Jewish, English, Spanish, Biblical and others.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Israel ranked #315 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #315 | ssa-2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Israel mean?
Israel means "God contends", according to Behind the Name.
Is Israel a popular name?
Israel ranked #315 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Israel a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Israel appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Israel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
