Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Jael as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Jael

Add to my Name List

The baby name Jael is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: JAY-əl (/ˈdʒeɪəl/); Hebrew: YA-el (yah-EL, /jaˈɛl/).

Jael is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: English: JAY-əl (/ˈdʒeɪəl/); Hebrew: YA-el (yah-EL, /jaˈɛl/)

What is the meaning of the name Jael ?

The baby name Jael is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: JAY-əl (/ˈdʒeɪəl/); Hebrew: YA-el (yah-EL, /jaˈɛl/).

Jael is Hebrew in Origin.

Jael comes from Hebrew Ya’el (יָעֵל), meaning “ibex” or “mountain goat,” evoking agility and sure‑footedness. In the Hebrew Bible, Jael is the Kenite woman who kills the Canaanite general Sisera with a tent peg (Judges 4–5) and is praised in the Song of Deborah. The name’s vivid imagery and decisive heroine kept it in religious memory.

Via the Vulgate and later English translations, the spelling Jael spread in Europe and the Americas. Usage was sporadic after the Middle Ages but found modest favor among Protestants who preferred Old Testament names, and it rose again in the 20th century. In modern Israel, Yael is a popular feminine name; in many Spanish‑speaking countries, Yael/Jael also appears for boys. Common variants and transliterations include Yael, Ya’el, Jaël/Yaël (French), and the rarer Iael. Do not confuse it with Joel (Hebrew Yoel), a distinct name.

Jael has the following similar or variant Names

Jael – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2004 #1 741
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
HN Boys 0 #52 1 749
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
CM 0 #55 2 2,592
LU 0 #65 2 2,830
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
Switzerland Girls 2024 #81 56 1,786
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
EC 0 #118 4 2,502
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
MU 0 #134 4 3,613
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
PA 0 #135 4 3,797
MT Girls 0 #147 7 3,773
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
CR 0 #164 2 5,526
Sweden Girls 2012 #171 2 1,538
PR Boys 0 #173 6 2,508
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
AR 0 #188 6 2,915
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
AO Girls 0 #192 18 4,575
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
EC Girls 0 #230 10 3,650
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
EC Boys 0 #242 5 3,322
PT 0 #246 5 4,161
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
Canada Girls 2024 #278 8 2,795
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
IL 0 #279 4 6,291
SG 0 #279 4 11,010
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
PE 0 #300 11 6,350
Canada Boys 2024 #302 5 2,588
GH Girls 0 #311 14 6,973
DK Girls 0 #327 3 7,429
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
GT 0 #335 4 5,948
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
MY 0 #349 6 12,352
BO 0 #356 26 6,868
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Girls 0 #360 3 8,539
MU Boys 0 #367 3 8,477
CL 0 #369 43 6,867
PH Boys 0 #373 11 11,440
PT Boys 0 #373 9 7,951
BO Girls 0 #377 257 9,488
MX 0 #380 34 8,339
France Boys 2020 #389 3 2,846
France Girls 2021 #403 3 3,185
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
PH Girls 0 #423 7 13,098
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
PA Boys 0 #427 55 9,305
CL Girls 0 #452 504 14,098
AR Boys 0 #453 15 7,628
PA Girls 0 #454 28 9,861
PT Girls 0 #468 4 7,952
ZA 0 #473 2 14,421
CM Girls 0 #474 67 11,671
GT Girls 0 #493 13 7,500
GT Boys 0 #493 7 7,625
UY Girls 0 #497 14 6,731
CO 0 #503 8 7,768
CR Girls 0 #503 30 11,342
CR Boys 0 #504 7 10,188
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
PS Girls 0 #541 7 10,981
AR Girls 0 #544 56 8,289
KW Girls 0 #559 3 19,177
BO Boys 0 #565 28 9,244
SG Girls 0 #566 21 18,916
CM Boys 0 #575 1 12,054
AE Girls 0 #593 5 20,968
IL Girls 0 #602 16 11,648
IL Boys 0 #625 1 10,983
MX Boys 0 #626 395 16,355
CL Boys 0 #634 32 13,390
HK Girls 0 #648 3 16,104
IN Girls 0 #653 2 13,121
Finland Boys 2026 #673 10 3,552
LB 0 #688 3 13,263
MX Girls 0 #695 612 17,781
Finland Girls 2026 #702 37 3,895
BR Boys 0 #715 37 12,213
NG Girls 0 #724 63 15,093
CO Girls 0 #731 384 16,140
SG Boys 0 #737 3 17,960
United States Boys 2024 #755 138 7,044
PE Boys 0 #761 118 14,506
United States Girls 2024 #769 148 8,487
KW Boys 0 #805 2 18,755
Germany Girls 0 #826 13 4,949
PE Girls 0 #827 117 14,861
CO Boys 0 #853 68 15,656
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
Spain Girls 0 #894 90 5,561
NL Boys 0 #897 55 5,873
Spain Boys 0 #899 32 5,610
NL Girls 0 #899 57 5,933
BR Girls 0 #903 39 12,708
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
SA Girls 0 #926 10 25,931
MY Girls 0 #982 13 24,821
NG Boys 0 #1,000 2 16,906
ZA Girls 0 #1,124 18 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,142 2 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,180 3 25,439
TR 0 #1,254 1 19,440
ZA Boys 0 #1,269 4 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,409 38 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,459 13 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,683 9 28,008

Jael is popular in 60 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
Switzerland
United States
New York City (Hispanic), United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Jael

Jael is predominantly a girl's name.
Jael is a 2 syllable name, pronounced English: JAY-əl (/ˈdʒeɪəl/); Hebrew: YA-el (yah-EL, /jaˈɛl/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Yael, Yaël, Jaël, Yaelle, Jaelle and Jaëlle.
Yes, very popular — Jael ranked #1 in Ireland in 2004, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Jael ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2004).
Jael's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #414 in 2011 to #403 in 2021 in France.