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 (2025)#1393 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births157 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2012

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,558

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

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'.

Raquel— echoes that soft -el sound

Rochel— another Hebrew name

Rachel— lands in the same popularity range

Jesse— shares Jael's Hebrew roots

Explore names like Jael

By themehebrew biblical nature

By meaningEarth / Nature Leader

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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.