UK boy's name
Yaqub
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter" or "he who follows".
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.
Yaqub is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yaqub popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #336, with 130 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 130 births.
This profile covers 1,517 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 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.
Yaqub is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 1,508 living people in the UK are called Yaqub. 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
- • Yaqub ranked #336 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 130 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 130 boys were registered as Yaqub.
- • About 1,508 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yaqub as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#336
2024
Births in 2024
130
Latest year
Peak year
2024
130 births
Estimated living
1,508
2026
Meaning
What does Yaqub mean?
The name Yaqub has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov, which is the name of the Biblical patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel.
In the Quran, the Islamic holy book, Yaqub is mentioned as a Prophet of God and the son of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). The name is deeply rooted in the Abrahamic faiths, particularly in Islam and Judaism, and holds significant religious and cultural significance.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Yaqub can be found in the Bible, where Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, is a central figure in the Book of Genesis. He is described as the father of the twelve tribes of Israel and a pivotal figure in the history of the Israelites.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Yaqub. One of the most famous was Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi (801-873 CE), an Arab philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age.
Another prominent figure was Yaqub ibn Laith al-Saffar (840-879 CE), the founder of the Saffarid dynasty, which ruled over parts of modern-day Iran and Afghanistan in the 9th century CE. He played a significant role in the history of the region and is remembered for his military campaigns and efforts to establish a strong centralized government.
In the realm of literature, Yaqub Sanu (1017-1092 CE), also known as Hakim Sanu'i, was a renowned Persian poet and philosopher who made significant contributions to the development of Sufi literature and mystical thought.
Moving forward in time, Yaqub Beg (1483-1490 CE) was a ruler of the Timurid Empire, which encompassed parts of modern-day Central Asia, Iran, and Afghanistan. He is remembered for his efforts to consolidate power and maintain stability within the empire during his brief reign.
Another notable figure is Yaqub Pasha (1834-1909 CE), an Ottoman statesman and military leader who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1878 to 1879. He played a crucial role in the modernization and reform efforts of the Ottoman Empire during the late 19th century.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Yaqub throughout history, demonstrating its rich cultural and historical significance across various regions and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yaqub over time
The chart below shows babies named Yaqub registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Yaqub, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 130 births in 2024, compared with 130 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yaqub by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yaqub 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 | #381 | 561 | 5 |
| 2010s | #537 | 743 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1203 | 199 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2259 | 14 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Yaqub
- Yusuf 11,801
- Yahya 5,758
- Yunus 2,009
- Yaseen 1,799
- Yasin 1,797
- Yuvraj 1,605
- Yousef 1,489
- Yousuf 1,454
- Yasir 1,056
- Yash 876
- Youssef 749
- Yanis 666
FAQ
Yaqub: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yaqub in the UK right now?
In 2024, Yaqub was ranked #336 for boys in England and Wales, with 130 births registered.
When was Yaqub most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 130 babies registered as Yaqub in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yaqub?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter" or "he who follows".
How many people are called Yaqub in the UK?
A total of 1,517 babies have been registered as Yaqub across the 28 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.