Declining since 2007, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Yoav since 1970
Babies named Yoav per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 10 |
| 1980s | 35 |
| 1990s | 35 |
| 2000s | 166 |
| 2010s | 111 |
| 2020s | 54 |
Meaning & origin
Yoav is a Hebrew name with deep biblical roots. In the Hebrew Bible, Yoav was the nephew of King David and served as the commander of his army. The name entered U.S. records in the 1970s and peaked in popularity in 2008, though it has never been common in this country. As of 2025, it ranks 8,910th, with approximately 1 in 213,510 newborns receiving the name. Over the past two decades, its trajectory has fallen since 2007. While still relatively rare, Yoav carries a strong cultural identity and is a traditional choice among Jewish families. Its sound is straightforward yet distinctive in English-speaking contexts.
Yoav is a Hebrew name (יוֹאָב) composed of elements meaning 'Yah' (short for Yahweh, God) and 'av' (father), thus 'God is father'. In the Hebrew Bible, Yoav was the nephew of King David and commander of his army, a prominent figure in the books of Samuel and Kings.
“Yoav” around the world
Where Yoav 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: Yo, Yoyo
Sibling names for Yoav
Names that share Yoav's style, for a brother or sister.
