Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Hawaiian musician famous for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
Boy Old & New Testament Very common
who prevails with God
יִשְׂרָאֵל Ἰσραήλ yis.ra.el
Israel (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל, yis.ra.el) means “who prevails with God”, by traditional interpretation. It belongs to one man who carries two names in the text — he is also called Jacob. In 2025 it was given to 1,123 children in the United States, ranking 315. Use is falling away. Around 72,874 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Bilhah in Genesis 30.
One person in scripture bears this name.
son of Isaac
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 25:26 |
| Last appears | Isaiah 48:12 |
| Two names, one person | Israel/Jacob |
| Cross-references | 3,002 linked passages |
| Country | Form | Standing | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Israel | rank 315 · 1,123 in 2025 | Births in year |
| Brazil | ISRAEL | 94,325 bearers · born 1930–2010 | Living residents |
| Spain | ISRAEL | 20,176 bearers · mean age 35.9 | Living residents |
| Portugal | Israel | permitted | IRN approved list |
Two different questions are shown here. Rows marked births in year count children registered during a period; rows marked living residents count people of every age alive at a census. They answer different questions and are never added together.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 1,123 | Falling |
| All-time total | 72,874 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 1,995 in 2007 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | TX | Highest share relative to births |
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;
son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);
brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);
father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently
§ Israel = "God prevails"
1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel
2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob
2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split
2b) the name used and given to the northern kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam; the southern kingdom was known as Judah
2c) the name of the nation after the return from exile
Israel, also named Jacob, was the son of Isaac, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, and a key patriarch of the Jewish people.
Israel, also known as Jacob, was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham. He was born after his twin brother Esau (Gen. 25:24-26).
Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew when Esau was famished (Gen. 25:29-34). He then deceived his father Isaac into giving him the firstborn blessing (Gen. 27). To escape Esau's anger, Jacob fled to his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram (Gen. 28:1-5).
On the way, Jacob had a dream of a stairway to heaven at Bethel, where God confirmed the covenant promises to him (Gen. 28:10-22). Jacob worked for Laban for 14 years, marrying his daughters Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29).
Wanting to return home, Jacob left Paddan-aram with his family and flocks. On the way, he wrestled with God at Peniel and was renamed Israel, meaning "he struggles with God" (Gen. 32:22-32). Israel (or 'Jacob') reconciled with Esau and settled in Canaan (Gen. 33).
Jacob had twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher (Gen. 35:23-26).
Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph, provoking his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt (Gen. 37). Later, during a famine, Jacob's sons went to Egypt for food and were reconciled with Joseph, who had risen to power there (Gen. 42-46).
Jacob moved his whole family to Egypt, where he lived for 17 years (Gen. 47:28). Before his death, Jacob blessed Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48) and gave prophetic blessings to his own twelve sons (Gen. 49). He died at age 147 and was buried in Canaan (Gen. 49:33; 50:1-14).
God often identified Himself as the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" and reaffirmed His covenant promises to Jacob's descendants (e.g. Exo. 3:6,15). The nation of Israel took its name from Jacob and the Jewish people are his descendants. The name Jeshurun is used as a poetic name for Israel (Deut. 32:15; 33:5,26; Isa. 44:2).
Israel appears in 2578 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
Genesis 25:26And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Genesis 25:27And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 25:28And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
Genesis 25:29And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Genesis 25:30Hawaiian musician famous for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"