Holding steady.
Popularity of Yale since 1908
Babies named Yale per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1929, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Yale's real moment was 1908.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 6 |
| 1910s | 143 |
| 1920s | 217 |
| 1930s | 138 |
| 1940s | 140 |
| 1950s | 129 |
| 1960s | 164 |
| 1970s | 99 |
| 1980s | 115 |
| 1990s | 120 |
| 2000s | 77 |
| 2010s | 57 |
| 2020s | 11 |
Meaning & origin
Yale is a strikingly rare given name, first recorded in U.S. data in 1908, the same year it reached its peak usage (likely due to a handful of births). In the century since, the name has remained exceptionally uncommon, with no recorded rank and a stable trajectory of minimal use. Its association with Yale University, founded in 1701 by benefactor Elihu Yale, gives it a scholarly, Ivy League aura. Despite the fame of the institution, the name has never seen a revival, and no top states have shown notable concentrations. Yale sits as a true rarity: a name with clear cultural cachet but almost no real-world adoption as a personal name.
Yale is primarily known as a surname, famously borne by Elihu Yale, the benefactor of Yale University. As a given name, it has been used sparsely since the early 20th century, likely inspired by the prestigious university. The surname itself is of English origin, possibly from the Old English word 'ealh' meaning 'nook' or 'corner' of land, or from the Welsh 'iâl' referring to a fertile upland region. The name gained some attention after the Yale University was founded in 1701, but it has never entered widespread use as a first name.
Sibling names for Yale
Names that share Yale's style, for a brother or sister.
