Israel is a Hebrew-language masculine given name. According to the Book of Genesis, the name was bestowed upon Jacob after the incident in which he wrestled with the angel ( and 35:10). The given name is already attested in Eblaite (𒅖𒊏𒅋 ) and Ugaritic (𐎊𐎌𐎗𐎛𐎍 ). Commentators differ on the original literal interpretation. The text of the Book of Genesis etymologizes the name with the verb (, "to rule, contend, have power, prevail over"): (KJV: "a prince hast thou power with God") Modern scholars read the as the subject, for a translation of "El (Mighty One) persists/rules/shines forth/contends," or "El fights/struggles", and less often, readings with the adjective "just, right", "El (God) heals", "El judges" or "May El judge". Referring to a foreign people, the name appears on the Merneptah Stele, probably referring to the Israelites. In Jewish texts during the Second Temple period and beyond, as well as in Christian Greco-Egyptian texts, was understood to mean "a man seeing God": from (man) (to see) (God). Per the Bible, Jacob's descendants (the Twelve Tribes of Israel) formed a national ethos and collectively established the Kingdom of Israel, whence came the name of the modern-day State of Israel.

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