UK boy's name
Yigit
A masculine Turkish name meaning "brave", "courageous", or "heroic".
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.
Yigit is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yigit popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2443, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 19 births.
This profile covers 207 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 2001 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 47% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 206 living people in the UK are called Yigit. 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
- • Yigit ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 19 boys were registered as Yigit.
- • About 206 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yigit as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2443
2024
Births in 2024
9
Latest year
Peak year
2016
19 births
Estimated living
206
2026
Meaning
What does Yigit mean?
The name Yigit has its origins in the Turkish language and culture. It is derived from the Turkish word "yiğit," which means "brave," "courageous," or "valiant." This name has been used in the region encompassing modern-day Turkey, as well as parts of Central Asia, for centuries.
The earliest known record of the name Yigit dates back to the 11th century, during the Seljuk Empire era. It was commonly given to sons born into noble or warrior families, as a way to instill the virtues of bravery and valor in them from a young age.
In the 13th century, the name Yigit gained further prominence when it was mentioned in the famous epic poem "Dede Korkut," which celebrated the heroic deeds of the Oghuz Turks. The poem featured a character named Yigit Gazi, who was portrayed as a fearless warrior and leader.
One of the most notable figures in history to bear the name Yigit was Yigit Pasha (1516-1578), a prominent Ottoman statesman and military commander. He served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Murad III and played a crucial role in the expansion and governance of the empire.
Another influential figure was Yigit Ali Pasha (1719-1785), an Ottoman military leader and statesman who served as the Grand Vizier from 1768 to 1771. He is renowned for his decisive leadership during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774.
In the 19th century, Yigit Muhtar Pasha (1834-1884) was a prominent Ottoman statesman and reformer. He played a pivotal role in the modernization efforts of the Ottoman Empire, known as the Tanzimat period.
Yigit Akin (1923-2011) was a renowned Turkish actor and filmmaker who made significant contributions to the Turkish cinema industry throughout his career, which spanned over six decades.
Yigit Aksu (born 1984) is a contemporary Turkish businessman and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Yigit Ventures, a successful investment firm based in Istanbul.
Throughout history, the name Yigit has been associated with qualities of courage, strength, and leadership, reflecting the cultural values and ideals of the Turkish and Central Asian societies from which it originated.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yigit over time
The chart below shows babies named Yigit registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 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 Yigit, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yigit by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yigit 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 | #2308 | 51 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1879 | 115 | 9 |
| 2000s | #2442 | 41 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Yigit
- Yusuf 11,801
- Yahya 5,758
- Yunus 2,009
- Yaseen 1,799
- Yasin 1,797
- Yuvraj 1,605
- Yaqub 1,517
- Yousef 1,489
- Yousuf 1,454
- Yasir 1,056
- Yash 876
- Youssef 749
FAQ
Yigit: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yigit in the UK right now?
In 2024, Yigit was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Yigit most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 19 babies registered as Yigit in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yigit?
A masculine Turkish name meaning "brave", "courageous", or "heroic".
How many people are called Yigit in the UK?
A total of 207 babies have been registered as Yigit across the 20 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.