Culture Biblical, Quranic names dominate: Abigail, David, and Mohammed are most popular in Israel in 2023 - The name Mohammed (the name of the Islamic prophet) is the most popular in Israel overall and among Muslim boys in particular.

L | A
By Moshe Cohen

The most popular name among Jewish girls in 2023 was Abigail (Avigail, a Biblical name meaning "father's joy"), with 1,278 girls given the name this year. The name Ayala (Ayalah, meaning "doe" in Hebrew) was in second place with 1,171 babies, followed by the name Tamar (a Biblical name meaning "date palm") in third place with 1,113 babies, according to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The top ten names for Jewish girls in 2023 also included Sarah (a Biblical matriarch meaning "princess"), Maya (or Mia, possibly derived from Mary or from the Hebrew word for "water"), Noa (Noah, a Biblical name meaning "motion"), Yael (a Biblical name meaning "ibex"), Esther (a Biblical queen), Libi (a modern Hebrew name meaning "my heart"), and Hannah (a Biblical name meaning "grace").

The most popular name among Jewish boys was David (Dovid, a Biblical king meaning "beloved"), with 1,760 boys named this year (2.7% of Jewish boys). Following were the names Lavi (meaning "lion" in Hebrew) given to 1,415 boys and Yosef (Joseph, a Biblical patriarch meaning "God will add") given to 1,324 babies in 2023. The top ten names for Jewish boys in 2023 also included Rafael (Raphael, a Biblical name meaning "God has healed"), Ariel (a Biblical name meaning "lion of God"), Uri (a Biblical name meaning "my light"), Ari (a modern name meaning "lion"), Moshe (Moses, a Biblical leader), Noam (No’am, meaning "pleasantness") and Yehuda (Judah, a Biblical patriarch).

The name Mohammed (the name of the Islamic prophet) is the most popular in Israel overall and among Muslim boys in particular. This name is relatively declining – from 17% at the beginning of the 2000s to 12% in 2023. Among Muslim girls, the most popular name in 2023 was Mariam (Mary, the mother of Jesus), with 456 girls named this.

Popular names in 2023 that were not popular in 2008​

New names for Jewish boys in 2023: Ray (likely derived from Raymond), Maor (meaning "luminary"), Yar (a modern name possibly meaning "forest"), Ati (a modern name), Shemariah (a Biblical name meaning "God has guarded"), On (a Biblical name), Leo (a name of Latin origin meaning "lion"), Karem (a modern name), La’el (a modern name), Luria (a modern name), Lib (a modern name meaning "heart"), Theo (a name of Greek origin meaning "gift of God"), Arian (a name of Welsh origin meaning "silver"), Elrom (a modern name), Ya'ar (meaning "forest" in Hebrew), Nuri (a modern name), Miel (a modern name), Pela (a modern name), Rio (a name of Spanish origin meaning "river"), Dagan (a Biblical name meaning "grain"), Libi (a modern name meaning "my heart"), Oliver (a name of Latin origin meaning "olive tree"), Alari (a modern name), Meshulam (a Biblical name meaning "rewarded").

New names for Jewish girls in 2023: Shaiyah (a modern name), Rif (a modern name), Helani (a modern name), Maor (meaning "luminary"), Arya (a modern name meaning "lioness"), Miley (a modern name), Milan (a name of Slavic origin meaning "gracious"), Amor (a name of Latin origin meaning "love"), Carmi (a Biblical name meaning "my vineyard"), Rain (a modern name), Asia (a name of Greek origin), Manor (a modern name), Ari (a modern name meaning "lion"), Dar (a modern name), Doria (a modern name), Mai (a modern name), Neri (a modern name), Luan (a modern name), San (a modern name), Shahri (a modern name), El (a modern name), La’ia (a modern name), Liber (a modern name), Niver (a modern name), Helani (a modern name), La’el (a modern name).

Less popular names​

The data also showed the names whose popularity significantly declined in 2023 compared to 2008. For Jewish girls: the names Mor (a modern name), Karin (a name of Scandinavian origin meaning "pure"), and Shiraz (a name of Persian origin meaning "sweet wine"), which were relatively popular in 2008, were given to only 5 girls in 2023.

For Jewish boys: the names Maksim (a name of Latin origin meaning "greatest"), Oded (a Biblical name meaning "restorer"), Shagiv (a modern name), Nikita (a name of Slavic origin), Liram (a modern name), and Yinir (a modern name), which were given to 20 boys or more in 2008, were given to 5 children or not at all in 2023.

Unisex names​

The name Ariel (a Biblical name meaning "lion of God") was given to 1,854 children in total, 1,293 boys and 561 girls.The name Uri (a Biblical name meaning "my light") was given to 1,745 children in total, 1,227 boys and 518 girls.Among Jewish girls, the name Abigail was most popular in Ashkelon, while in Tel Aviv, the most popular name was Maya (or Mia). Among Jewish boys, the name David was most popular in Beit Shemesh, Netivot, and Jerusalem. Among Muslim boys, the name Ahmad (a name of Arabic origin meaning "highly praised") was in second place in Jerusalem, Nazareth, Umm al-Fahm, and Rahat.

 

[AnsemSoD1]

OOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

[Battlefield2142EU]

Muslims having more babies than the liberal atheist majority of Israeli Jews is not surprising. It’s pretty funny the Christian’s outbreeding the Jews who hate them so much in Israel. Religious orthodox are outbreeding the atheist Jews in Israel. They are also rioting over being drafted.

 

[AnsemSoD1]

Alhamdulilah Deus Vult kikes

 

[Seafarer]

Obviously the increase in Muslim names should be alarming for them, but aren’t biblical names just Jewish? I fail to see what they are concerned about for the latter.

 

[Jonah Hill poster]

The idea of Mohammad(s) being born in Israel is just proof that rampant immigration is only good when Israel closes their border, yet bad when America does it.

 

[Male Idiot]

It is oyver.
Orthodox talmud scholars, you had one jerb!!1!!

 

[Neo-Nazi Rich Evans]

ive always wondered why muslims want their sons to all have the exact same name. if literally every boy at the local school had the same name i wouldnt also name my son that. are they just too stupid to think of another name or is it all one big cult mentality since they literally worship muhammad?

 

[Male Idiot]

I would think that naming my kid after my big super important boss maybe improper unless I am like an arabian prince.

 

[Toji Suzuhara]

This name is relatively declining – from 17% at the beginning of the 2000s to 12% in 2023.

Obviously the increase in Muslim names should be alarming for them, but aren’t biblical names just Jewish? I fail to see what they are concerned about for the latter.

Mate, the percentage of muslim names is literally declining, the statu quo was simply them being more popular overall because muslims tend to stick to Muhammad.

ive always wondered why muslims want their sons to all have the exact same name. if literally every boy at the local school had the same name i wouldnt also name my son that. are they just too stupid to think of another name or is it all one big cult mentality since they literally worship muhammad?

Muslims tend to stick to the same names because they value lineage and rank a lot. That's why their names are sometimes like "Abdulrahman ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi" or similar, they are actually more like a noble's title than a regular name, and if you think that your son is very valuable, well, you are gonna use the name of a guy that was also very valuable, hence so much Muhammad

 

[Super-Chevy454]

Muslims having more babies than the liberal atheist majority of Israeli Jews is not surprising. It’s pretty funny the Christian’s outbreeding the Jews who hate them so much in Israel. Religious orthodox are outbreeding the atheist Jews in Israel. They are also rioting over being drafted.

It's a wonder then the liberal atheists majority of Israeli jews hadn't made some Pikachu surprised faces yet.

 

[Battlefield2142EU]

It's a wonder then the liberal atheists majority of Israeli jews hadn't made some Pikachu surprised faces yet.

Jews in the west still surprised Pikachu face over anti-white BLM propaganda backfiring on the Jews who shilled critical race theory to begin with.

 

[Derrick]

David is also a quaranic name: "And thy Lord is Best Aware of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And we preferred some of the prophets above others, and unto David We gave the Psalms".-Quran 17:55. I wonder how many of the 'David's were actually muslim?

 

[Georgio Cocklord]

Muslims having more babies than the liberal atheist majority of Israeli Jews is not surprising. It’s pretty funny the Christian’s outbreeding the Jews who hate them so much in Israel. Religious orthodox are outbreeding the atheist Jews in Israel. They are also rioting over being drafted.

Muslims tend to have more children in general. Theyre still attached to the animalistic paradigms (1 male many females) and are more focused on survival and expansion rather than civilization which is why theyve been successful in conquering 1/3rd of the world in modern times.

 

[Catch The Rainbow]

The name Mohammed (the name of the Islamic prophet) is the most popular in Israel overall and among Muslim boys in particular

Muslims give their kids 5 names, not really a concern

David is also a quaranic name: "And thy Lord is Best Aware of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And we preferred some of the prophets above others, and unto David We gave the Psalms".-Quran 17:55. I wonder how many of the 'David's were actually muslim?

Muslims spell David as Dawud.

I'm surprised how normal the names are. Israelis pick dumb names, I served with a guy named Nimrod.

 

[Snekposter]

I served with a guy named Nimrod

Wasn't he some badass hunter-king? There's worse names.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Wasn't he some badass hunter-king? There's worse names.

Bugs Bunny is the reason that's an insult in English speaking countries. It was almost always aimed at Elmer Fudd, so he was sarcastically calling a terrible hunter a mighty hunter. Apparentally, not many people noticed that.

 

[Snekposter]

Bugs Bunny is the reason that's an insult in English speaking countries. It was almost always aimed at Elmer Fudd, so he was sarcastically calling a terrible hunter a mighty hunter. Apparentally, not many people noticed that.

I'm pretty sure that's just a US thing. The Bongs named one of their naval patrol planes after the guy. But according to Wikipedia it had been used earlier over here in that sarcastic meaning, so it was probably already in limited use before getting popularized across the country by Daffy and Bugs.

 

[Catch The Rainbow]

Wasn't he some badass hunter-king? There's worse names.

Nimrod was an evil man who built the tower of Babel and later cast Abraham into an oven. The rabbis generally refer to him as Nimrod the evil in their texts. A lot of Israelis just pick unique biblical names without considering their greater context.

Still a better name than Luzer though, that's that the name of ex Hasid and Hollywood consultant Luzer Twerski.