Israel
Girl name · #3598 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Israel? In official American birth records, Israel has been tracked continuously since 1951, giving it 74 years of documented American history.
Israel ranks #3598 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 42 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2890, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 girls born in 2025 was named Israel.
The 74-year story
Israel first appears in the Social Security records in 1951, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 70 girls were named Israel — good for #2508 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Israel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Israel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Israel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Israel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Israel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Israel is most common
State-level data for Israel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Israel
Statistically, parents drawn to Israel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Isobel, Gittel, Yael, Gretel, and Ixchel.
IsobelGittelYaelGretelIxchelIzabelLaelRaizel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Israel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #3577 |
| 2024 | 39 | #3822 |
| 2023 | 55 | #3014 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2956 |
| 2021 | 57 | #2929 |
| 2020 | 60 | #2748 |
| 2019 | 69 | #2538 |
| 2018 | 70 | #2508 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2964 |
| 2016 | 52 | #3139 |
| 2015 | 60 | #2890 |
| 2014 | 58 | #2922 |
| 2013 | 47 | #3367 |
| 2012 | 33 | #4387 |
| 2011 | 36 | #4072 |
| 2010 | 39 | #3889 |
| 2009 | 33 | #4482 |
| 2008 | 49 | #3377 |
| 2007 | 58 | #3023 |
| 2006 | 33 | #4358 |
| 2005 | 40 | #3646 |
| 2004 | 32 | #4287 |
| 2003 | 33 | #4034 |
| 2002 | 31 | #4071 |
| 2001 | 37 | #3549 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Israel?
In official American birth records, the name Israel first appeared in 1951 (over 74 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 74 years.
Is Israel a popular girl name?
Israel ranked #3598 among girls in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2890.
When was the name Israel most popular?
Israel peaked in 2018, when 70 American girls received the name (ranked #2508 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Israel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American girls was named Israel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.