Shmuel

Shmuel is the Hebrew form of the male given name Samuel. The name is derived from שמואל (Shmuel), generally interpreted as “God has heard,” from roots meaning to hear and El (God). In Jewish tradition, Shmuel is the prophet Samuel, a judge and prophet who anointed Saul and David and helped transition Israel to the monarchy.

In modern usage, Shmuel is a common given name in Israel and among Jewish communities worldwide. It is typically transliterated as Shmuel, with variants such as Shimuel or Shmuel, and the English equivalent is Samuel. The name remains popular in both religious and secular contexts and is often shortened in everyday speech.

Notable bearers include Shmuel Yosef Agnon (1888–1970), the Israeli writer who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966 as S. Y. Agnon. The biblical Shmuel remains a central figure in biblical literature, and the name continues to be widely used in Jewish culture and Israeli society.