Israel
/IH-S-R-AA-EH-L/
He who wrestles with God (Spanish-Mexican-Hebrew) — Israel (Spanish, from Hebrew Yisra'el 'one who wrestles with God') is the foundational biblical name. Used widely as a Mexican-Catholic masculine name evoking the patriarchal Jacob's God-given name after wrestling the angel. Common across Mexican-Christian families. Israel Houghton is the celebrated American-Mexican Christian musician.
Get Israel's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about Israel:
How well does Israel fit your family?
This page tells you what Israel means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
Unlock Israel's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Israel is a Christian boy name of Spanish origin, meaning “He who wrestles with God (Spanish-Mexican-Hebrew) — Israel (Spanish, from Hebrew Yisra'el 'one who wrestles with God') is the foundational biblical name. Used widely as a Mexican-Catholic masculine name evoking the patriarchal Jacob's God-given name after wrestling the angel. Common across Mexican-Christian families. Israel Houghton is the celebrated American-Mexican Christian musician.”. It also appears in Jewish tradition.
Israel is a boy's name of Spanish origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "He who wrestles with God (Spanish-Mexican-Hebrew) — Israel (Spanish, from Hebrew Yisra'el 'one who wrestles with God') is the foundational biblical name. Used widely as a Mexican-Catholic masculine name evoking the patriarchal Jacob's God-given name after wrestling the angel. Common across Mexican-Christian families. Israel Houghton is the celebrated American-Mexican Christian musician." and belongs to the Divine cluster — names rooted in sacred meaning and spiritual tradition.
Beyond its Christian heritage, Israel is also used in Jewish traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among Mexican, American, LatinAmerican, Hispanic, Latino, Cuban, Argentine, Colombian, Chilean, Peruvian, Venezuelan, PuertoRican, Dominican, Spanish families, Israel carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Israel
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Israel lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Israel's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Israel's saint & feast day →What does Israel's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Israel resonates in either tradition.
Israel's destiny number is 1 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Israel's full reading →
Does Israel go with your family's names?
Israel breaks into 6 sounds: /IH-S-R-AA-EH-L/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Israel sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Israel beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Israel — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Israel
If Israel resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in Mexican families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Divine cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Israel
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Israel — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Israel
What does the name Israel mean?
Israel means "He who wrestles with God (Spanish-Mexican-Hebrew) — Israel (Spanish, from Hebrew Yisra'el 'one who wrestles with God') is the foundational biblical name. Used widely as a Mexican-Catholic masculine name evoking the patriarchal Jacob's God-given name after wrestling the angel. Common across Mexican-Christian families. Israel Houghton is the celebrated American-Mexican Christian musician.." It is a boy name of Spanish origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Israel a boy or girl name?
Israel is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Israel?
Israel is of Spanish origin, used in Christian, Jewish traditions, commonly among Mexican, American, LatinAmerican families.
Is Israel a Christian name?
Yes. Israel is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of Spanish origin. It also appears in Jewish tradition.
What does Israel mean in Spanish?
Israel originates from Spanish, where it means "He who wrestles with God (Spanish-Mexican-Hebrew) — Israel (Spanish, from Hebrew Yisra'el 'one who wrestles with God') is the foundational biblical name. Used widely as a Mexican-Catholic masculine name evoking the patriarchal Jacob's God-given name after wrestling the angel. Common across Mexican-Christian families. Israel Houghton is the celebrated American-Mexican Christian musician.."
What are common nicknames for Israel?
Common short forms of Israel include Isra.
What is the numerology of Israel?
Israel has a Pythagorean destiny number of 1 — leadership and pioneering spirit.
See how Israel scores for your family
NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Israel is waiting.
Get NameRoot — free