Declining since 2020, #1,634 for boys today.
Popularity of Yoel since 1970
Babies named Yoel per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 127 |
| 1980s | 697 |
| 1990s | 492 |
| 2000s | 789 |
| 2010s | 1,319 |
| 2020s | 803 |
Meaning & origin
Yoel is a masculine name of Hebrew origin, directly tied to the biblical prophet. In the United States, it has been in modest use since at least 1970, reaching its peak rank of 1,634 in 2019. Since then, its popularity has been gradually declining, though it remains a familiar choice, particularly among families with Jewish heritage. Data from 2024 shows approximately 1 in 16,583 male births received the name, with top states including New York, Arizona, and New Jersey. Yoel is the original Hebrew form of the more widely known Joel, and its usage offers a direct connection to biblical tradition.
Yoel is a Hebrew name derived from the elements 'Yah,' referring to the God of Israel, and 'El,' also meaning God, thus forming a theophoric name meaning 'Yahweh is God.' It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of a minor prophet, the son of Pethuel. The name has been used among Jewish communities for centuries and, in its various forms, has also been adopted in Christian traditions, notably in the English form Joel.
Where Yoel is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Yoel” around the world
Where Yoel lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Joel
Sibling names for Yoel
Names that share Yoel's style, for a brother or sister.
