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Shmiel

♂ Boy

Pronounced shmeel /ˈʃmil/Medium

Meaning: Name of GodMedium

In 30 seconds: Shmiel is a Yiddish form of Samuel, a Jewish name understood as 'name of God.'

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Origin MediumJewish, Yiddish

MeaningName of God

U.S. rank (2025)#2249 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births63 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 955

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

Shmiel is the Yiddish rendering of Samuel and carries the meaning 'name of God.' It is deeply rooted in Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, where it served as the everyday spoken form of the older biblical name. The pronunciation marks it clearly as Yiddish.

The opening 'Shm-' cluster is a hallmark of Yiddish sound, giving the name its warm, distinctly Ashkenazi character. It connects directly back to the well-known Samuel.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Shmiel is 'name of God', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 70%

Behind the Name - Shmiel — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Shmiel…

Samuel— The biblical name that Shmiel is the Yiddish form of, sharing its meaning.

Mendel— another Yiddish name

Hershel— another Yiddish name

Cheskel— echoes that soft -el sound

Wolf— a fellow Yiddish choice

Explore names like Shmiel

By themejewish yiddish

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shmiel mean?

Shmiel is usually explained as meaning 'name of God' and is most often linked with Jewish tradition.

How do you pronounce Shmiel?

It's commonly said shmeel /ˈʃmil/.

Is Shmiel a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Shmiel?

In 2024, Shmiel ranked #2899 in the U.S. for boys, with 44 births recorded.