Yoel
Boy name · #1639 in 2025 · Uniqueness 78/100
Yoel ranks #1639 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 103 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1317, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,476 boys born in 2025 was named Yoel.
The 55-year story
Yoel first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 180 boys were named Yoel — good for #1100 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Yoel per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Yoel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Yoel in class?
Yoel scores 78 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Yoel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Yoel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Yoel is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Yoels were NY (37), TX (10), CA (7), NJ (6), AZ (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Yoel
Statistically, parents drawn to Yoel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yisroel, Yechiel, Neel, Yisrael, and Hansel.
YisroelYechielNeelYisraelHanselYaelAbielMendel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Yoel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 103 | #1634 |
| 2024 | 120 | #1494 |
| 2023 | 156 | #1244 |
| 2022 | 134 | #1388 |
| 2021 | 140 | #1325 |
| 2020 | 150 | #1240 |
| 2019 | 180 | #1100 |
| 2018 | 142 | #1291 |
| 2017 | 147 | #1245 |
| 2016 | 159 | #1194 |
| 2015 | 134 | #1317 |
| 2014 | 120 | #1402 |
| 2013 | 109 | #1492 |
| 2012 | 102 | #1551 |
| 2011 | 109 | #1484 |
| 2010 | 117 | #1415 |
| 2009 | 95 | #1654 |
| 2008 | 99 | #1594 |
| 2007 | 94 | #1638 |
| 2006 | 86 | #1654 |
| 2005 | 75 | #1752 |
| 2004 | 74 | #1720 |
| 2003 | 60 | #1936 |
| 2002 | 81 | #1529 |
| 2001 | 60 | #1841 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Yoel a popular boy name?
Yoel ranked #1639 among boys in 2025 with 103 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1317.
When was the name Yoel most popular?
Yoel peaked in 2019, when 180 American boys received the name (ranked #1100 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Yoel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,476 newborn American boys was named Yoel. It scores 78/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.