As Rosh Hashanah approaches at the end of this week, the Population and Immigration Authority has unveiled its annual list of the most popular baby names in Israel for the past year. This long-standing tradition offers a glimpse into the socio-cultural fabric of Israeli society and is eagerly awaited by parents-to-be pondering names for their newborns. It also serves as an interesting barometer for tracking the influence of religious, cultural, and even political factors on naming trends.
In Jewish communities, the name David retains its crown as the most popular name for boys, with 846 newborns receiving this moniker in the past year. Following closely behind is Ariel, given to 814 newborns, and Lavi, which maintains its third-place status from the previous year with 754 instances. Raphael ascended from fifth to fourth place, with 719 boys named, ousting Uri to fifth place, which now accounts for 627 newborns. Closing the top ten is the name Hashem Noam, which has seen a slight decline, dropping four spots from its position last year, now at 526 occurrences.
לקראת השנה החדשה: רשות האוכלוסין מפרסמת את השמות הנפוצים ביותר לנולדים בשנת תשפ"ג; רוב הרשימה זהה לשנים עברו - אבל השם שרה מדיח את נועה מחמשת השמות הפופולרים ביותר pic.twitter.com/jpsp9mfAeV
— שי ישראל (@ShaIsrael2) September 11, 2023
Conversely, the general sector portrays a different landscape for male names. Muhammad leads the pack with a significant 1,666 occurrences, followed by Adam and Joseph with 1,187 and 1,186 respectively. Intriguingly, Joseph does not even make the cut in the list of most popular names within Jewish communities. David also makes an appearance, albeit in fourth place, with 679 Daniels rounding off the top ten, dropping two spots from the previous year.
On the female front, within Jewish society, Abigail continues to reign supreme with 969 newborn girls christened with this name in the past year. Tamar trails at second with 837 instances, while Yael and Noa secure the third and fourth spots, replicating their positions from last year. Sara rises two spots to fifth place with 596 occurrences, pushing Adele down to eighth place. The name Ella closes the list at tenth place, marking its first appearance on the top ten list.
Israel's Most Popular Names for 2022/23: Abigail & Muhammad! 👶🇮🇱
— Adam Albilya - אדם אלביליה (@AdamAlbilya) September 11, 2023
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, the most recent data on Israeli names for newborns in the Hebrew year 5783 is out, revealing Abigail and Muhammad as the leading choices!
Mazal Tov to the families! 😍 pic.twitter.com/6z9ymymOgJ
In the general sector, the top spots for female names also go to Abigail and Tamar. They are followed by Miriam (Mariam in Arabic), with 806 occurrences, a name that surprisingly doesn't make it to the top ten in the Jewish sector. Sarah secures fourth place, climbing two ranks from the previous year, and Yael takes the fifth spot. The name Mia concludes the list, having been popular among Jewish communities in the previous year but now predominantly found only in the general sector.
To sum up, whether parents decide to choose names that are en vogue or opt for those that haven't made the illustrious list, this annual tradition of naming trends serves as a sociocultural pulse check, reflecting Israel's diverse and evolving identity. As we approach Rosh Hashanah, this list not only marks the ending of one year but sets the tone for the next, offering insights into the subtle yet meaningful choices that shape the nation's future.
