Yisrael

יִשְׂרָאֵל

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Biblical / Rabbinic Hebrew
• Meaning: struggles with God

• The name Yisrael comes from one of the most dramatic scenes in the Torah: the patriarch Jacob wrestling with a mysterious figure through the night, refusing to let go until he received a blessing. At dawn, he was given a new name, Yisrael, meaning "he who struggles with God." That name went on to define an entire people, making it perhaps the most consequential renaming in all of Jewish history.

  Choosing Yisrael for your child is one of the most declarative Jewish naming decisions you can make — it is literally naming your baby after the entire people. Yet it also feels deeply personal, rooted in the idea that wrestling with faith and identity is not weakness but strength. Four syllables carrying the full weight of Jewish history.

• English Equivalent:
  Israel
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Devora
  ,
  Hadassa
  ,
  Avraham
  ,
  Shalom
• Theme: God, Israel