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Israel is a Biblical given name. The patriarch Jacob was given the name Israel (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל, Standard Yisraʾel Tiberian Yiśrāʾēl; "Struggled with God") after he wrestled with the angel (Genesis 32:28) The name already occurs in Eblaite and Ugaritic texts as a common name^[1]. Commentators differ on the original literal meaning. Some say the name comes from the verb śarar ("to rule, be strong, have authority over"), thereby making the name mean "God rules" or "God judges".^[2] Other possible meanings include "the prince of God" (from the King James Version) or "El fights/struggles".^[3] Jacob's descendants came to be known as the Israelites, eventually forming the tribes of Israel and ultimately the kingdom of Israel, from whence the name of modern day Israel.

In Israel the name "Israel Israeli" is sometimes used to mean someone whose name is unknown or unspecified.

List of people named Israel

• Israel of Axum, Emperor of Ethiopia in the 6th century CE
• Israel (Bishop of Caucasian Albania), in the seventh century CE
• Israel (footballer) (b. 1987), Spanish football (soccer) player, full name Israel David Bascón Gigato
• Israel (singer), Australian singer
• Israel Isidore Baline, Russian-American Jewish composer
• Israel ben Eliezer, Polish rabbi
• Israel Folau, Australian rugby league footballer
• Israel Gelfand, Mathematician
• Israel Houghton, Christian worship leader
• Israel Izzy Asper, Canadian media magnate
• Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Hawaiian singer
• Israel Kirzner, British-American economist
• Israel of Krems, 14th-15th century Austrian rabbi
• Israel Machado, Brazilian basketball player
• Israel Ochoa, Colombian racing cyclist
• Israel Putnam, American general
• Israel Regardie, British occultist
• Israel Shahak, Israeli author
• Israel Shamir, Russian-Swedish anti-Zionist author and journalist
• Israel Vázquez, Mexican boxer
• Rahm Israel Emanuel, American politician
• Menasseh ben Israel, 17th-century rabbi, scholar and printer

As a surname

• Dan Israel, American songwriter and musician
• Edward Israel, American astronomer and polar explorer
• Elizabeth Israel, Dominican supercentenarian
• Jonathan Israel, British historian
• Rinus Israël, Dutch football (soccer) manager and former player
• Steve Israel, United States congressman from New York
• Steve Israel, American football player

References

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