Home › Baby Names Directory › Hillel

Hillel

♂ Boy

Pronounced hi-LEL /hɪˈlɛl/High

Meaning: Praise; from the Hebrew root h-l-l, the same root as hallelujah; the name of Judaism's great sage Hillel the ElderHigh

In 30 seconds: Hallelujah's first cousin: Hillel means 'praise' — and names the sage whose one-foot summary of the Torah still echoes: what is hateful to you, do not do to another.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighHebrew
MeaningPraise; from the Hebrew root h-l-l, the same root as hallelujah; the name of Judaism's great sage Hillel the Elder
U.S. rank (2024)#3284 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births36 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2019
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,428

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201919182024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Hillel comes from the Hebrew root h-l-l, 'to praise' — the engine of hallelujah — and appears in the Bible before becoming immortal through Hillel the Elder, the first-century sage whose humane school shaped rabbinic Judaism and whose maxims ('If I am not for myself, who will be?') remain proverbs. Campus Jewish life worldwide organizes under his name.

The name stays steady in Orthodox communities and rare beyond them; basketball fans may know Israeli-American prospect-era bearers. Praise, as a lifetime assignment.

Did you know? Asked to teach the whole Torah while standing on one foot, Hillel the Elder answered: 'What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor — the rest is commentary. Go and learn.'
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name — Hillel — etymology

Variations

HilelHallel

Nicknames

Hilly

Famous Bearers

  • ★Hillel the Elder (110 BC–10 AD)
    Jewish sage whose school shaped rabbinic Judaism; famed for the Golden Rule on one foot.

If you like Hillel…

Shai— a fellow compact Hebrew classic, 'gift'
Yehuda— the 'praised' tribal name from the same semantic field
Akiva— another great-sage name carried in observant families
Kalel— lands in the same popularity range
Jael— a similarly popular pick

Browse the whole category: All Hebrew names →  ·  All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Hillel mean?

Hillel means 'praise' in Hebrew, from the same root as hallelujah.

How do you pronounce Hillel?

It's said hi-LEL /hɪˈlɛl/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Hillel a boy or girl name?

Hillel is a boy's name.

How popular is Hillel?

Hillel is rare nationally and steady in Orthodox Jewish communities.