UK boy's name
Yul
Yul is a masculine Russian name meaning "bison".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2000. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Yul is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yul popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2000 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3036, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2000 to 2000. 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.
Yul is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Yul. 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 2001 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yul ranked #3036 for boys in England and Wales in 2000, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 3 boys were registered as Yul.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yul as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3036
2000
Births in 2000
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Yul mean?
The name Yul is believed to have its origins in the Korean language. It is a variation of the more common Korean name Yulyeol, which means "universe" or "cosmos" in English. The name is thought to have first emerged during the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled the Korean peninsula from the 10th to the 14th centuries.
One of the earliest known references to the name Yul can be found in the Samguk Sagi, a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, written in the 12th century. The text mentions a figure named Yulyeol, who was a scholar and poet during the Goryeo period.
The name Yul gained wider recognition in Korea during the Joseon dynasty, which lasted from the 14th to the 19th century. During this time, several notable figures bore the name, including Yul Gok (1536-1584), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher, and Yul Yeong (1720-1799), a prominent calligrapher and artist.
Beyond Korea, the name Yul has also been used in other cultures and contexts. In Russia, for example, the name Yul is sometimes used as a diminutive form of the name Yulian, which is derived from the Latin name Julianus. One notable Russian figure with this name was Yul Brynner (1920-1985), the actor best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the musical "The King and I."
Another famous individual with the name Yul was Yul Edochie, a Nigerian actor, and filmmaker born in 1982. He has starred in numerous Nollywood productions and has won several awards for his work in the Nigerian film industry.
In the Western world, the name Yul gained some popularity in the mid-20th century, likely due to the fame of the actor Yul Brynner. One notable bearer of the name was Yul Anderson (1945-2021), an American actor and singer who appeared in several Broadway productions and television shows.
While not as common as some other names, Yul has a rich history and has been used across various cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Korea, and it has been borne by scholars, artists, and performers throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Yul by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yul 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3036 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Yul
- 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
Yul: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yul in the UK right now?
In 2000, Yul was ranked #3036 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Yul most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 3 babies registered as Yul in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yul?
Yul is a masculine Russian name meaning "bison".
How many people are called Yul in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Yul across the 1 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.