How to say it
IS · ra · el
/ˈɪz.ri.əl/
Masculine
Israel
One who struggles with God
What it means
Hebrew Yisra'el, 'he who struggles with God' or 'God contends,' the name given to Jacob.
Israel is the name God gives Jacob in Genesis after he wrestles a divine stranger through the night, from the Hebrew Yisra'el, 'one who struggles with God.' It became the name of his descendants and their nation, and as a personal name it is used across Jewish, Christian, and Latino families. It carries real scriptural depth and shortens warmly to Izzy. Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, 'Iz,' is a beloved modern bearer.
Popularity over time
peaked at #202 in 2006, currently #315 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Izzy and Iz are the everyday shorts.
- Worth knowing
Carries the meaning of Jacob's God-given name; well used across Jewish and Latino communities.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Jacob the patriarch renamed Israel after wrestling the angel
- Israel Kamakawiwoʻole Hawaiian musician known for his ukulele medley
Spelling variants
- Yisrael
- Izrael
Names with the same feeling
See Israel from another angle
By meaning
By style