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Jael

♀ Girl

Pronounced JAY-uhl /ˈdʒeɪ.əl/Medium

Meaning: From the Hebrew Yael (יָעֵל), meaning 'mountain goat' or 'ibex'. In the Bible, Jael was the woman who killed the Canaanite commander Sisera.Medium

In 30 seconds: Jael is a girl's name from the Hebrew Yael, meaning 'mountain goat' or 'ibex'.
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Origin MediumHebrew, Biblical
MeaningFrom the Hebrew Yael (יָעֵל), meaning 'mountain goat' or 'ibex'. In the Bible, Jael was the woman who killed the Canaanite commander Sisera.
U.S. rank (2024)#1470 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births148 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2012
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,401

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201219572024

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

History & Origin

It derives from the Hebrew Yael, the word for a mountain goat or ibex. In the Bible, Jael is the woman who killed the Canaanite commander Sisera, giving the name a striking biblical association. The Hebrew form Yael remains widely used today.

The name travels across spellings such as Yael, Jaël, and Iael, reflecting how Hebrew names get rendered in different alphabets and languages. Its single-syllable punch makes it sound brisk and decisive.

Did you know? Jael appears in the Old Testament, which helped preserve it across centuries of Jewish and Christian naming traditions.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Jael — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

JáélJaëlIaelYaelIahel

Nicknames

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If you like Jael…

Yael— The original Hebrew form of the name, meaning 'mountain goat'.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jael mean?

Jael is usually explained as meaning 'ibex, mountain goat' and is most often linked with Hebrew tradition.

How do you pronounce Jael?

It's commonly said JAY-uhl /ˈdʒeɪ.əl/.

Is Jael a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Jael is used as a girl name.

How popular is Jael?

In 2024, Jael ranked #1470 in the U.S. for girls, with 148 births recorded.