UK boy's name
Yoav
A masculine Hebrew name meaning "the glory of the Lord".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Yoav is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yoav popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2964, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 6 births.
This profile covers 23 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1999 to 2014. 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.
Yoav is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 23 living people in the UK are called Yoav. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yoav ranked #2964 for boys in England and Wales in 2014, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 6 boys were registered as Yoav.
- • About 23 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yoav as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2964
2014
Births in 2014
6
Latest year
Peak year
2014
6 births
Estimated living
23
2026
Meaning
What does Yoav mean?
The name Yoav is a Hebrew name originating from the ancient Hebrew language. It is believed to have been derived from the Hebrew root word "av," which means "father." The name's earliest known use dates back to biblical times, around the 10th century BCE.
In the Hebrew Bible, Yoav is mentioned as the name of a prominent military commander who served under King David. He was the son of Zeruiah and the brother of Abishai and Asahel. Yoav played a significant role in many of David's military campaigns and was known for his bravery and strategic skills. However, he was also portrayed as a ruthless and ambitious figure who occasionally acted against the king's wishes.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Yoav was Yoav ben Tzeruya, the biblical military leader mentioned in the Book of Samuel and the Book of Chronicles. He lived around the 10th century BCE and served as the commander of King David's armies.
Another notable figure with the name Yoav was Yoav Gallant, an Israeli general and politician. He served as the Commander of the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces from 2005 to 2008 and later pursued a career in politics, serving as a member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) from 2015 to 2019.
Yoav Tsur was an Israeli poet and writer who lived from 1951 to 1998. He was known for his contributions to modern Hebrew poetry and his unique poetic style, which drew inspiration from various sources, including biblical texts and Jewish mysticism.
Yoav Ginai was an Israeli actor and theater director born in 1945. He was renowned for his performances in both classical and contemporary plays and was a prominent figure in the Israeli theater scene.
Yoav Levi was an Israeli singer and songwriter who lived from 1976 to 2017. He was a popular figure in the Israeli music industry and known for his unique blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern musical styles.
While the name Yoav has its roots in ancient Hebrew, it continues to be used as a given name in modern times, particularly in Israel and among Jewish communities around the world. However, its historical significance and connections to biblical figures and events make it a name with a rich cultural heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yoav over time
The chart below shows babies named Yoav registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Yoav, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2014, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yoav by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yoav 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3647 | 14 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3992 | 6 | 2 |
| 1990s | #2943 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Yoav
- 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
Yoav: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yoav in the UK right now?
In 2014, Yoav was ranked #2964 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Yoav most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 6 babies registered as Yoav in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yoav?
A masculine Hebrew name meaning "the glory of the Lord".
How many people are called Yoav in the UK?
A total of 23 babies have been registered as Yoav across the 6 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.