UK name, mostly boys
Yves
A French name of Old German/Frisian origin meaning "archer" or "bowman".
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.
Yves is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Yves popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 10 births.
This profile covers 95 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 1996 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 40% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 94 living people in the UK are called Yves. 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
- • Yves ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 10 boys were registered as Yves.
- • About 94 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yves as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 87.2% of Yves registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2021
10 births
Estimated living
94
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Yves
In England and Wales birth records, Yves has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 87.2% of registrations are for boys and 12.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Yves registered for boys
- Ranked #4,270 in 2024
- 4 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (10 births)
Yves registered for girls
- Ranked #4,373 in 2003
- 3 girls registered in 2003
- Peak: 1998 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Yves mean?
The name Yves originated from the French form of the ancient Germanic name Ivo. It is derived from the words "iv" meaning yew, and "vig" meaning vigor or strength. This name has been in use since at least the 9th century in parts of Western Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yves can be found in the historical record of a Breton bishop and saint, Yves Hélori, who lived from 1253 to 1303. He was known for his piety, charitable works, and defense of the poor against the oppression of the nobility.
Another notable figure in history with the name Yves was Yves de Chartres, a French theologian and philosopher who lived from around 1040 to 1115. He was a prominent teacher and writer during the scholastic period and his works influenced the development of medieval philosophy and theology.
In the 17th century, Yves Boucherat (1630-1726) was a prominent French jurist and statesman who served as the Chancellor of France under Louis XIV. He is remembered for his efforts to reform and modernize the French legal system.
Moving into the 19th century, Yves Menard (1807-1858) was a French poet and novelist who was part of the Romantic movement. His works, such as "Rêveries d'un païen mystique" (Reveries of a Mystic Pagan), explored themes of nature, spirituality, and mythology.
Another notable figure with the name Yves was Yves Tanguy (1900-1955), a French surrealist painter known for his unique and imaginative landscapes featuring strange, biomorphic forms and dreamlike imagery. His works are considered influential in the development of surrealism in art.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Yves, which has a rich heritage rooted in ancient European cultures and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yves over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Yves in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Yves, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yves by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yves 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 | #3177 | 32 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2979 | 31 | 5 |
| 2000s | #3226 | 26 | 6 |
| 1990s | #1765 | 6 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Yves
- 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
Yves: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yves in the UK right now?
In 2024, Yves was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Yves most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 10 babies registered as Yves in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yves?
A French name of Old German/Frisian origin meaning "archer" or "bowman".
How many people are called Yves in the UK?
A total of 95 babies have been registered as Yves across the 17 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.