Fun Facts About the Name Harel
- 200 babies named Harel: U.S. records list 200 babies given the name Harel from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Harel Mean?
Harel is a Hebrew name meaning "mountain of God." It is built from har (הַר), the Hebrew word for "mountain," and El (אֵל), a Hebrew word for God. The compound reads literally as "mountain of God," and the name is written in Hebrew as הַרְאֵל.
The word appears in the Hebrew Bible at Ezekiel 43:15, in the prophet's description of the altar of the restored temple, where the form har'el appears to refer to the upper part or hearth of the altar. That verse is textually difficult: the Masoretic tradition records a difference between the written form and the way it is read aloud, and some scholars take the word there as ariel (אֲרִיאֵל), an altar term also used in that passage. The biblical occurrence is therefore a word for a part of the altar rather than a personal name, and any link between Harel and the similar-looking Ariel rests on that textual problem, not on a settled shared origin.
Harel Name History & Origins
The biblical occurrence of har'el in Ezekiel's temple vision is a description of the altar, not a name given to a person, and the book of Ezekiel is the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the form is found. Its use as a personal name belongs to Hebrew as spoken in the land of Israel in modern times, where it is carried by both men and women as a given name and by families as a surname.
As a surname, Harel is associated with Israelis who replaced earlier European family names. Isser Harel, born Isser Halperin, directed the Mossad from 1952 to 1963 and adopted Harel as his surname. Yossi Harel, born Yosef Hamburger, commanded the immigrant ship Exodus 1947 and later held senior positions in the Israeli navy and in the shipping company Zim. The Palmach's Harel Brigade, which fought in the Jerusalem area during the 1948 war, also bore the name.
As a given name, Harel is used chiefly for boys in Israel; the singer Harel Skaat, born in 1981, is one well-known bearer. The name's two elements, har and El, are common building blocks in Hebrew names, which is part of why the compound reads naturally to Hebrew speakers as "mountain of God."
How Popular is the Name Harel?
Harel has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2005. Its best rank was #4,235 in 1930.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,352 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #11,322 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #8,401 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #11,088 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #11,256 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #8,396 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #12,960 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #7,311 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #9,040 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #7,216 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #7,720 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #8,399 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #11,336 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #8,367 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #9,288 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #9,288 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #7,273 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #6,613 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #5,678 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #8,410 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #7,910 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #9,804 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #9,339 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1930 | #4,235 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Harel Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Harel's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Harel's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.