Rising since 2005, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Yakub since 2004
Babies named Yakub per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 19 |
| 2010s | 67 |
| 2020s | 38 |
Meaning & origin
Yakub is the Arabic form of Jacob, a name with deep religious roots in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Its use in the United States is relatively recent, first recorded in 2004, and it has been rising steadily since 2005. In 2025, the name ranked 8,910 with approximately 1 in 213,510 newborn boys given the name. Its peak year so far was 2015, though its upward trajectory suggests growing popularity. Yakub remains less common than its variant Yacoub, but it is steadily gaining recognition among Muslim families in the U.S.
Yakub is the Arabic form of Jacob, derived from the Hebrew Ya'akov. In the Quran, Yakub is a prophet and patriarch, father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The name has been used across the Islamic world for centuries, particularly among Arabic-speaking and Persian-speaking communities. Its adoption in English-speaking countries is more recent, reflecting increased cultural diversity.
“Yakub” around the world
Where Yakub lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Yak, Yaki
Variants: Yacoub, Ya'qub, Yakup
Sibling names for Yakub
Names that share Yakub's style, for a brother or sister.
