Israel (English)
Where does "Israel" come from?
The name Israel originates from the Hebrew 'yisra'él', which traditionally translates to 'he wrestles with God' or 'God rules,' a title famously bestowed upon the biblical patriarch Jacob. The name migrated through Ancient Greek and Latin before entering Old English and eventually becoming the modern English 'Israel.' With historical roots dating back to the Merneptah Stele in 1200 B.C.E., the term evolved from an ancient personal name into a descriptor for a lineage, a kingdom, and finally a modern nation-state.
Full etymology tree
- Israel (English), 'A country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Official name: State of Israel.'
- inherited Israel (Middle English), 'The Land of Israel; the historical region of Israel.'
- inherited Israel (Old French)
- borrowed Israel (Latin), 'Israel, another name of the patriarch Jacob'
- inherited Ἰσραήλ (Isrāḗl) (Ancient Greek), 'Israel (a name given to the Jewish patriarch Jacob)'
- borrowed יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrāʾēl) (Biblical Hebrew)
- inherited יִשְׂרֶה אֵל (yisré 'él) (Biblical Hebrew)
- compound יִשְׂרֶה (yisré) (Biblical Hebrew)
- compound אֵל (ʾél) (Biblical Hebrew)
- inherited יִשְׂרֶה אֵל (yisré 'él) (Biblical Hebrew)
- borrowed יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrāʾēl) (Biblical Hebrew)
- inherited Ἰσραήλ (Isrāḗl) (Ancient Greek), 'Israel (a name given to the Jewish patriarch Jacob)'
- borrowed Israel (Latin), 'Israel, another name of the patriarch Jacob'
- inherited Israel (Old French)
- inherited Israel (Middle English), 'The Land of Israel; the historical region of Israel.'
Direct ancestors
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris