NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Yunes

A masculine Arabic name derived from Yunus, meaning "dove" or "strength".

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.

Yunes is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yunes popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 5 births.

This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 6 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Yunes. 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

  • Yunes ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 5 boys were registered as Yunes.
  • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yunes as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3688

2024

Births in 2024

5

Latest year

Peak year

2021

5 births

Estimated living

22

2026

Meaning

What does Yunes mean?

The name Yunes has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "yunus," which means "whale" or "fish." The name is believed to have been inspired by the Biblical story of the prophet Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale and later emerged unharmed.

The name Yunes can be traced back to the 7th century CE, when it was first used by Arab communities in the Middle East. It became particularly popular during the Islamic Golden Age, a period of cultural and scientific flourishing in the region.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Yunes can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. In the Qur'an, the story of the prophet Jonah is recounted, and he is referred to as "Yunus" or "Dhu'n-Nun" (the one with the whale).

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Yunes. One of the earliest was Yunes ibn Habib (776-854 CE), an Arab grammarian and philologist from Andalusia, known for his contributions to the study of the Arabic language.

Another prominent figure was Yunes al-Qarawiyyin (1000-1096 CE), a renowned Moroccan scholar and the founder of the famous Al-Qarawiyyin University in Fez, which is considered the oldest continuously operating university in the world.

In the 12th century, Yunes ibn Masawayh (1003-1072 CE) was a distinguished Arab philosopher, physician, and translator who played a vital role in the transmission of Greek philosophical and scientific works to the Islamic world.

During the Ottoman Empire, Yunes Bey (1662-1726) was a prominent military commander and statesman who served as the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister) of the empire from 1719 to 1730.

More recently, Yunes Khan (1892-1977) was an influential Afghan politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1946 to 1953.

The name Yunes has maintained its popularity among Arab and Muslim communities worldwide, and it continues to be a cherished and meaningful name choice for many families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Yunes over time

The chart below shows babies named Yunes 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 Yunes, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Yunes
01345200820162024

Decades

Yunes by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yunes 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 #4043 13 3
2010s #4809 6 2
2000s #4432 3 1

Related

Names similar to Yunes

FAQ

Yunes: questions and answers

How popular is the name Yunes in the UK right now?

In 2024, Yunes was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Yunes most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 5 babies registered as Yunes in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Yunes?

A masculine Arabic name derived from Yunus, meaning "dove" or "strength".

How many people are called Yunes in the UK?

A total of 22 babies have been registered as Yunes 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.