UK boy's name
Eyob
A masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Eyob is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Eyob popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 5 births.
This profile covers 39 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2008 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 39 living people in the UK are called Eyob. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Eyob ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 5 boys were registered as Eyob.
- • About 39 living people in the UK are estimated to have Eyob as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
5 births
Estimated living
39
2026
Meaning
What does Eyob mean?
The name Eyob has its origins in the Semitic languages, specifically Ge'ez, the ancient language of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is the Ethiopian form of the Hebrew name Iyov, which is the name of the biblical figure Job from the Book of Job in the Old Testament.
In the Book of Job, Iyov (or Job) is a righteous man who endures immense suffering and trials, but remains faithful to God. His name is believed to be derived from the Hebrew root word "ayav," meaning "to be hostile" or "to be an enemy," potentially referring to his struggles against adversity.
The earliest recorded use of the name Eyob can be traced back to the 4th century AD in the Ge'ez language and Ethiopian Christianity. The Ethiopic version of the Book of Job, known as the "Kebre Negest" or the "Book of Kings," features the name Eyob prominently.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Eyob was Eyob, a 14th-century Ethiopian monk and religious leader. He is revered as a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and is known for his role in promoting the spread of Christianity in the region.
Another notable figure was Eyob II, an Ethiopian Emperor who reigned from 1603 to 1604. He is known for his brief but turbulent reign during a period of civil unrest and conflict in the Ethiopian Empire.
In the 15th century, there was a prominent Ethiopian scholar and historian named Eyob, who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Ethiopia. His works, such as the "Kebre Negest" and the "Fetha Negest" (the law book of the Ethiopian Empire), are considered important historical documents.
The name Eyob also appears in other religious texts and historical records from the region, including the Qur'an, where it is spelled as "Ayyub." In the Islamic tradition, Ayyub is revered as a prophet and is associated with patience and perseverance in the face of adversity, much like the biblical Job.
Another notable figure with the name Eyob was Eyob, a 17th-century Ethiopian painter and artist who is known for his religious artwork and frescoes in churches and monasteries throughout the country.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Eyob over time
The chart below shows babies named Eyob registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Eyob, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eyob by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Eyob was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4525 | 17 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4161 | 19 | 5 |
| 2000s | #4432 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Eyob
- Ethan 77,394
- Edward 53,212
- Elliot 23,450
- Elijah 22,369
- Ellis 19,358
- Elliott 16,964
- Evan 14,535
- Ezra 11,838
- Ewan 10,685
- Eli 8,126
- Elias 7,049
- Eric 6,654
FAQ
Eyob: questions and answers
How popular is the name Eyob in the UK right now?
In 2024, Eyob was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Eyob most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 5 babies registered as Eyob in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Eyob?
A masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious".
How many people are called Eyob in the UK?
A total of 39 babies have been registered as Eyob across the 11 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.