Yisreal
A Hebrew given name meaning "contender with God" or "soldier of God".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Yisreal. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Yisreal today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yisreal births was 2022 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yisreal. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Yisreal. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2022
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#14,262
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Yisreal: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Yisreal by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Yisreal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Yisreal
The name Yisreal 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 "he will rule as God." This phrase is deeply rooted in the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with an angel and receiving the name Israel.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Yisreal can be found in the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament. It is mentioned in the book of Genesis, where Jacob is given the name Israel after his encounter with the angel. This event holds great significance in the Judeo-Christian tradition and has influenced the usage of the name throughout history.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Yisreal was Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, a prominent Jewish mystic and the founder of the Hasidic movement in the 18th century. Born in 1698 in modern-day Ukraine, he played a crucial role in reviving and popularizing the mystical teachings of Kabbalah.
Another influential figure was Yisrael Meir Kagan, also known as the Chofetz Chaim, a renowned rabbi and scholar who lived from 1838 to 1933. He was a prolific author and teacher, known for his works on Jewish law and ethics, particularly his book "Chofetz Chaim" which focuses on the laws of speech.
In the realm of politics, Yisrael Galili was a prominent figure in the early years of the State of Israel. Born in 1911, he served as the Minister of Information and Minister of Trade and Industry in the 1950s and played a significant role in shaping the country's policies.
The name Yisreal also holds importance in the field of literature. Yisrael Zangwill, a British author and playwright born in 1864, was known for his works addressing issues of Jewish identity and the plight of immigrants. His novel "Children of the Ghetto" was widely acclaimed and contributed to the understanding of Jewish life in Eastern Europe.
Another notable figure was Yisrael Kristal, an Israeli supercentenarian who was recognized as the world's oldest living man by the Guinness World Records in 2016 at the age of 113. Born in 1903 in Poland, he survived the Holocaust and lived a remarkable life, serving as a testament to resilience and longevity.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and cultural significance associated with the name Yisrael. Its origins in ancient Hebrew and its connection to the biblical narrative have shaped its usage and meaning over centuries, making it a name deeply rooted in the traditions and struggles of the Jewish people.
People
Yisreal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yisreal as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Y
Other first names starting with Y with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Yisreal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yisreal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yisreal going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Yisreal a common name?
We classify Yisreal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yisreal most popular?
The single biggest year for Yisreal was 2022, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yisreal is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Yisreal in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Yisreal a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yisreal in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Yisreal still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Yisreal in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Yisreal can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Yisreal?
Want to know how many people have the name Yisreal? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.