Yisroel
Yisroel was the 826th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 300 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 149 places. More babies were named Yisroel in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning God strives; he who wrestles with God · Hebrew, Yiddish
Say it YIS-roh-el /ˈjɪsroʊɛl/
- Rank in 2025
- #826 boys, up 204 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 300boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025300 babies
- Total since 1880
- 6,813babies recorded
What does the name Yisroel mean?
Yisroel is the Yiddish and Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation of Israel, as Wiktionary notes. In Genesis 32:29 the name is given to Jacob after he wrestles through the night, and the JPS translation's note links it with the Hebrew verb for striving. DMNES glosses it "he who wrestles with God", while Wiktionary mentions other readings such as "God rules". It is used mainly in Orthodox Jewish families.
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Hebrew, “Israel”)ישׂראל (Yiddish, “Yisroel”)
How sure is this? Probable. The biblical explanation is clear; scholars also propose other readings such as 'God rules'.
Related names: Israel, Yisrael, Srulik.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Yisroel', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Israel', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Israel', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Hebrew Bible, Genesis 32:29, JPS translation with notes (via Sefaria), Sefaria
Nicknames for Yisroel
The usual nicknames for Yisroel are Srulik.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Srulik · Yiddish pet form | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Yisroels go by each one.
Yisroel popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #826 | 300 |
| 2020 | #1,030 | 200 |
| 2010 | #1,011 | 194 |
| 2000 | #1,207 | 113 |
| 1990 | #1,187 | 85 |
| 1980 | #1,523 | 41 |
| 1970 | #2,737 | 13 |
| 1960 | #3,663 | 7 |
| 1950 | #4,190 | 5 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Yisroel, counting every spelling?
Yisroel has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #806 for boys in 2025, against #826 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Yisroel?
300 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Yisroel (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Yisroel born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 28 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Yisroel.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Yisroel?
About 6,700 people born in the US named Yisroel are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 7 and 27. That makes Yisroel mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Yisroel by state
How common Yisroel was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (15.3×), New York (10.6×). In 44 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Yisroel: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Yisroel, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Yisroel · Sibling names for Yisroel
Questions about the name Yisroel
What does Yisroel mean?
Yisroel means “God strives; he who wrestles with God” (Hebrew, Yiddish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Yisroel?
Yisroel was the 826th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 300 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 149 places. More babies were named Yisroel in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Yisroel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Yisroel in the US.
Where is Yisroel most popular?
In 2021–2025, Yisroel was most common in New Jersey (2.25 per 1,000 boys), followed by New York and Maryland.