“Mohammed” Tops List of Israel’s Most Popular Baby Names

Tel Aviv
“Mohammed” was the most popular name for newborn boys in Israel during Jewish year 5786, while among Jewish boys “Ariel” and among girls “Avigail” took the top spots. According to figures released by the Population and Immigration Authority ahead of Rosh Hashanah, 179,398 births were registered in Israel as of September 6, with Jerusalem topping the list of cities with 23,336 births.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Mohammed was the most popular name for boys across the overall population, followed by Ariel, Yosef, Adam, David, Omer, Raphael, Lavi, Michael and Eitan. Mohammed’s top ranking continues a long-running trend — it has previously topped the national list in several years, including in figures released before Rosh Hashanah in 2022.
Among Jewish boys’ names specifically, Ariel ranked first, followed by David, Raphael, Lavi, Uri, Michael, Eliya, Eitan, Yehuda and Ari. Among girls, Avigail was the most popular name overall and also topped the list among Israeli Jews. In the overall national ranking, Avigail was followed by Miriam, Leah, Libi, Tamar, Yael, Ayala, Sarah, Ella and Naya. Among Jewish girls’ names, Libi ranked second, followed by Tamar, Yael, Leah, Ella, Ayala, Sarah, Noa and Naya.
The paper noted that traditional and biblical names consistently remain among the most popular in Israel, a trend also reflected in separate reports by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Geographically, Jerusalem recorded the highest number of births during Jewish year 5786, with 23,336 newborns registered, followed by Bnei Brak (8,225) and Tel Aviv-Yafo (7,405). Other notable cities by birth numbers included Beit Shemesh (6,974), Ashdod (4,031), Haifa (3,421), Rishon LeZion (3,413), Netanya (3,343), Petah Tikva (3,338), and Modiin Illit (3,113). The figures were released as Israel prepared to enter the new Jewish year 5787, with Rosh Hashanah celebrations beginning Friday evening.