Three years after his death, the Jerusalem soldier and musician’s legacy is spreading far beyond the site where he fell, with parents across Israel and abroad choosing to give their children the name Aner.
By Hezy Laing
Some memorials are carved in stone, others are written in books, but one of the most extraordinary tributes to an October 7 hero is being carried by 289 children.
Since the massacre, 289 babies and children have been given the name Aner, honoring Aner Shapira, the 22-year-old Nahal reconnaissance soldier who died protecting civilians at the Nova music festival.
Before October 7, Aner was an uncommon name in Israel, given to approximately 11 babies a year.
Since then, its popularity has soared, with 82 children receiving the name in 2024 and another 136 in 2025—more than 12 times the prewar annual average.
The story behind the name is one of extraordinary courage.
On the morning of October 7, Shapira was at the Nova festival with his friend Hersh Goldberg-Polin when Hamas terrorists launched their attack.
As frightened young people fled, Shapira reached a roadside shelter near Re’im where about two dozen people were hiding.
He positioned himself at the entrance as terrorists began throwing grenades into the shelter.
Shapira repeatedly caught or deflected the grenades and threw them back outside, giving the civilians inside precious moments of protection.
According to accounts of the incident, he continued even after suffering a devastating injury to his hand, ultimately dying while protecting those around him.
Yet the children named after him are remembering more than a single act of battlefield heroism.
Shapira was also a musician, artist and writer who composed and produced his own songs in a studio he built at his Jerusalem home.
His family has continued preserving and sharing his creative work, including music released after his death.
The tribute has also crossed Israel’s borders.
Children named Aner now live in communities across Israel, from the Galilee and Golan Heights to Eilat, with others in the United States, France and Australia.
For Shapira’s parents, Moshe and Shira, each child carrying his name represents something deeply personal.
They have said that every child is a world unto itself, carrying forward something of Aner’s courage, love, creativity and determination to protect others.
In that sense, the 289 children are more than a statistic.
They are living reminders that three years after October 7, Aner Shapira’s name—and the qualities associated with it—continues to enter new homes and new generations.
