Tamar, Mohammad, top Israel’s baby name list
Popular monikers remain the same as previous two years for girls and boys, Jews and non-Jews
The most popular baby names in Israel over the past year were Tamar for girls and Mohammad for boys, the two favorites remaining at the top of their lists for the third consecutive year, according to figures released Sunday by the Interior Ministry.
Over the past Hebrew calendar year, 166,450 babies were born in Israel, the Population, Immigration and Border Authority said in its annual review of the country, published to coincide with Rosh Hashana — the Jewish new year — that begins on Wednesday night.
The 10 most popular girls names were Tamar, Adele, Miriam, Sarah, Avigail, Noa, Shira, Taliya, Yael, and Lia, unchanged from last year.
For boys the 10 most popular names were Mohammad, Yossef or Yussef, David, Daniel, Ori, Omer, Eitan, Ariel, Noam and Adam.
Among only the Jewish population it was; Tamar, Avigail, Adele, Noa, Shira, and Taliya topped the list followed by Yael, Sarah, Liah, and Esther. It marked a return of longtime favorite girls’ Noa to the top five after it slipped out last year for the first time in a decade.
Jewish boys names that found most favor were Ori, David, Ariel, Noam, Eitan, Yossef, Itai, Daniel, Yehonatan, and Lavi.