UK boy's name
Yisrael
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "one who struggles with God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Yisrael is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yisrael popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4001, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 5 births.
This profile covers 38 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2000 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 38 living people in the UK are called Yisrael. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yisrael ranked #4001 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 5 boys were registered as Yisrael.
- • About 38 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yisrael as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4001
2022
Births in 2022
4
Latest year
Peak year
2007
5 births
Estimated living
38
2026
Meaning
What does Yisrael mean?
The given name Yisrael has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew phrase "Yisra El," which translates to "one who struggles with God" or "one who prevails with God." This name holds significant historical and religious importance in the Abrahamic faiths.
The name Yisrael is first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament, where it refers to the patriarch Jacob, who was given this name after wrestling with an angel of God. According to the biblical account, Jacob's name was changed to Yisrael, and he became the progenitor of the twelve tribes of Israel.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Yisrael was the biblical figure Yisrael ben Eliezer, also known as the Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760), who was the founder of the Hasidic movement in Judaism. His teachings and philosophy had a profound impact on Jewish mysticism and spirituality.
Another notable historical figure with the name Yisrael was Yisrael Meir Kagan (1838-1933), also known as the Chofetz Chaim, who was a renowned rabbi and author of several influential works on Jewish law and ethics.
In the realm of literature, Yisrael Zangwill (1864-1926) was a British writer and playwright of Jewish descent, known for his works that explored Jewish identity and Zionism. His novel "Children of the Ghetto" (1892) was a seminal work in depicting the lives of Jewish immigrants in London's East End.
Yisrael Kristal (1903-2017) holds the distinction of being recognized as the world's oldest living man by the Guinness World Records in 2016. He was a Holocaust survivor who lived through both World Wars and witnessed the establishment of the State of Israel.
Yisrael Aumann (born 1930) is an Israeli-American mathematician and game theorist who was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2005 for his contributions to the field of game theory and its applications in economics.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Yisrael, showcasing its enduring significance and the diverse backgrounds of those who carried this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yisrael over time
The chart below shows babies named Yisrael registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Yisrael, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2022, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yisrael by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yisrael was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4213 | 11 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3976 | 12 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3469 | 15 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Yisrael
- Yusuf 11,801
- Yahya 5,758
- Yunus 2,009
- Yaseen 1,799
- Yasin 1,797
- Yuvraj 1,605
- Yaqub 1,517
- Yousef 1,489
- Yousuf 1,454
- Yasir 1,056
- Yash 876
- Youssef 749
FAQ
Yisrael: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yisrael in the UK right now?
In 2022, Yisrael was ranked #4001 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Yisrael most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 5 babies registered as Yisrael in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yisrael?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "one who struggles with God".
How many people are called Yisrael in the UK?
A total of 38 babies have been registered as Yisrael across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.