This year's most popular Jewish names for first graders in Israel are in!

Just in time for the 2026-2027 school year, Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority has published a list of the most common names among the country’s first-grade students.

So, who came out on top?

For Jewish girls: Tamar
For Jewish boys: Ariel

But what do they mean?

Ariel

Ariel means “Lion of G‑d,” a contraction of Ari (lion) and E-l (G‑d). At times it refers to the Altar or the Holy Temple in Jerusalem

This gave rise to the rabbinic teaching:

A lion came in the Zodiac of the lion
And destroyed the Ariel
So that the Lion will come
And rebuild the Ariel

Tamar

Tamar means “date” or “date palm”—one of the seven special species Israel is renowned for.

Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah, gave birth to twin sons, one of whom became the progenitor of all Israel’s kings, including Moshiach.

Several hundred years later, she had a descendant named Tamar, who was the daughter of King David. Tamar was the victim of abuse at the hands of her half-brother, Amnon.

As a result of that terrible event, the sages declared that unmarried men and women should never be alone together.

Your Jewish Name

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