Ariel, Avigail remained top names for Israeli Jewish babies in 2025

(JNS) — Ariel, Hebrew for “lion of God”, retained its title as the most popular name given to Jewish boys in Israel in 2025, the country’s Population and Immigration Authority announced on Tuesday.

It was followed by Lavie, meaning “lion” in Hebrew, with the biblical figure David rounding out the top three.

Muhammad, Yosef and Adam were the three most popular boys’ names among the general population. Arabs comprise about 20 percent of Israel’s population of roughly 10 million.

Among girls, Avigail, who according to the Bible married the future King David after her first husband’s death, remain...