Yakov
Boy name · #1282 in 2025 · Uniqueness 58/100
Yakov is currently the #1282 boy name in the United States — 153 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1468, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 11,765 boys born in 2025 was named Yakov.
Babies named Yakov per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 72-year story
Yakov first appears in the Social Security records in 1953, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 172 babies and a rank of #1193. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Yakov against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Yakov in class?
Yakov scores 58 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Yakov is most common
State-level data for Yakov is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Yakov
Statistically, parents drawn to Yakov tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yaakov, Yasin, Dov, Yohan, and Yasir.
YaakovYasinDovYohanYasirYazanDhruvYaseen
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Yakov | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 153 | #1281 |
| 2024 | 172 | #1193 |
| 2023 | 123 | #1465 |
| 2022 | 140 | #1341 |
| 2021 | 118 | #1503 |
| 2020 | 121 | #1423 |
| 2019 | 114 | #1494 |
| 2018 | 130 | #1360 |
| 2017 | 113 | #1488 |
| 2016 | 113 | #1501 |
| 2015 | 114 | #1468 |
| 2014 | 90 | #1691 |
| 2013 | 102 | #1546 |
| 2012 | 104 | #1535 |
| 2011 | 108 | #1495 |
| 2010 | 86 | #1752 |
| 2009 | 114 | #1459 |
| 2008 | 91 | #1679 |
| 2007 | 91 | #1669 |
| 2006 | 73 | #1856 |
| 2005 | 74 | #1772 |
| 2004 | 64 | #1911 |
| 2003 | 61 | #1906 |
| 2002 | 50 | #2125 |
| 2001 | 57 | #1912 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Yakov a popular boy name?
Yakov ranked #1282 among boys in 2025 with 153 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1468.
When was the name Yakov most popular?
Yakov peaked in 2024, when 172 American boys received the name (ranked #1193 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Yakov?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 11,765 newborn American boys was named Yakov. It scores 58/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.