Jacob's name is Israel. So why is he still called Jacob?

Question

When born, Jacob is given the name "Jacob" meaning, "trickster, supplanter, heel grabber." After he wrestles at Jabbok, he is renamed "Israel" meaning "strives with God." However, after this encounter, the text still calls him Jacob most of the time. Then in Genesis 35, he has another encounter with God and it then begins to call him Israel in the text. But not all the time.

Genesis switches back and forth between the names at this point. From Gen 35:21 to the end of Genesis, he is called Jacob about 35 times and Israel about 39 times.

One explanation I heard is that he was called Jacob as long as he was living in rebellion. That works for Gen 32 to 35, but not for after because it's then back-and-forth. There are even verses such as Gen 46:2 where he is called by both names in the same verse.

What might be the reason for this back and forth?

Edited to correct the meaning of Israel.

Answer 1

When the Tanakh uses different names for the same individual, it sometimes reflects different aspects of the subject. Consider the different names of God, which reflect aspects like judgment or mercy or nurturing. Yaakov (Jacob), too, has two names, so it's worth looking at how they're used.

This explanation, which in turn cites this one, offers the following interpretations:

• Yaakov refers to the individual, Yisrael to the head of the nation
• Yaakov reflects subservience; Yisrael, strength
• Yaakov is mundane, Yisrael more supernatural (I don't really understand this one, sorry)

Answer 2

The plain meaning of why the Torah suddenly calls Yaakov by his alternate name Yisrael again instead of writing "the time approached for Yaakov to die," (which would have been the natural sequence to the line: "Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years") is that ever since he had been given the additional name the Torah uses both names interchangeably. Throughout the Torah the names Yaakov and Yisrael are used intermittently. From a more rational/scientific point of view we may detect a distinct pattern in the Torah sometimes choosing to refer to Yaakov by his original name and sometimes by his additional name.

The name Yaakov applies to the physical part of Yaakov's personality, matters connected to his terrestrial existence,

whereas the name Yisrael refers to spiritual aspects of his personality,

matters connected to his eternal existence in celestial regions. When Yaakov had first been given the name "Yaakov" the Torah stated that this reflected his holding on to the heel of his brother Esau. We find the name Yisrael first used in connection with Yaakov having successfully contended with the celestial force representing his brother Esau. It is therefore clear that the additional name Yisrael was intended principally to reflect Yaakov's spiritual accomplishments. Seeing that it is impossible for a human being while part of a body to divest himself totally of bodily needs and concerns, we can appreciate what our Sages said that, contrary to the name Avraham which replaced the name Avram, the name Yisrael did not replace the name Yaakov. It reflected the fact that this Yaakov had attained an additional dimension in his personality development, according to Kli Yakar, as reflected in the Talmud: