Full Breakdown
Israel’s Top Baby Names for Hebrew Year 5786 and Birth Hotspots
9/7/2026, 2:18:59 PM
Most Popular Names Across the Population
The Population and Immigration Authority released data on September 6 showing that 179,398 babies had been registered in Israel’s Population Registry for the Hebrew year 5786. Mohammed topped the overall list for boys, followed by Ariel, Yosef, Adam, David, Omer, Rafael, Lavi, Michael and Eitan. Among Jewish boys, Ariel claimed first place, with David second and Rafael third. For girls, Avigail led both the general and Jewish rankings, trailed by Miriam, Lia, Libi, Tamar, Yael, Ayala, Sarah, Ella and Naya. In the Jewish-girls list, Libi held the second spot after Avigail.
Community-Specific Rankings
The Authority’s figures for 2024—published alongside the current data—showed Ariel as the most popular name among Jewish boys that year, while David ranked second and Lavi third. Avigail also repeated as the top name for Jewish girls in 2024, marking its second consecutive year at the summit. Separate Central Bureau of Statistics data for children born in 2024 identified David as the leading name for Jewish boys, with Levi and Ariel following, and confirmed Avigail’s dominance among Jewish girls.
Birth Numbers by City
Jerusalem recorded the highest number of births during 5786, with 23,336 newborns registered. Bnei Brak followed with 8,225 births, Tel Aviv-Jaffa reported 7,405, Beit Shemesh logged 6,974, Ashdod 4,031, Haifa 3,421, Rishon LeZion 3,413, Netanya 3,343, Petah Tikva 3,338, and Modi’in Illit 3,113.
Observed Trends
Traditional and biblical names continue to dominate the rankings, reflecting enduring cultural preferences. The repeated appearance of names such as Mohammed, Ariel, David, and Avigail across both overall and community-specific lists underscores a sustained inclination toward familiar, historically rooted choices among Israeli parents.
