Yael
Rendering of the modern Israeli Hebrew יעל.
Every Yael since 1954 — 9,708 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Yael
Yael is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #818 in 2025 with 304 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1954, 9,708 American babies have been named Yael — about 54% boys and 46% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2023, when 472 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Yael stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Yael year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 127 | #1,642 | 304 | #818 |
| 2024 | 132 | #1,597 | 320 | #789 |
| 2023 | 143 | #1,512 | 329 | #776 |
| 2022 | 166 | #1,386 | 225 | #994 |
| 2021 | 137 | #1,543 | 211 | #1,033 |
| 2020 | 137 | #1,551 | 206 | #1,012 |
| 2019 | 116 | #1,771 | 222 | #967 |
| 2018 | 106 | #1,898 | 225 | #935 |
| 2017 | 119 | #1,767 | 197 | #1,024 |
| 2016 | 126 | #1,703 | 182 | #1,086 |
| 2015 | 108 | #1,893 | 178 | #1,095 |
| 2014 | 111 | #1,837 | 235 | #914 |
| 2013 | 101 | #1,966 | 243 | #871 |
| 2012 | 108 | #1,873 | 238 | #883 |
| 2011 | 107 | #1,885 | 179 | #1,055 |
| 2010 | 115 | #1,793 | 219 | #924 |
| 2009 | 107 | #1,955 | 223 | #929 |
| 2008 | 94 | #2,156 | 226 | #913 |
| 2007 | 86 | #2,275 | 212 | #939 |
| 2006 | 89 | #2,183 | 180 | #1,024 |
| 2005 | 75 | #2,378 | 159 | #1,047 |
| 2004 | 92 | #2,019 | 139 | #1,141 |
| 2003 | 80 | #2,186 | 111 | #1,281 |
| 2002 | 85 | #2,045 | 64 | #1,816 |
| 2001 | 89 | #1,956 | 32 | #2,927 |
| 2000 | 87 | #1,950 | 28 | #3,147 |
| 1995 | 48 | #2,622 | — | — |
| 1990 | 56 | #2,288 | 7 | #7,164 |
| 1985 | 41 | #2,437 | — | — |
| 1980 | 45 | #2,245 | — | — |
| 1975 | 34 | #2,410 | — | — |
| 1970 | 22 | #3,109 | — | — |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,491 | — | — |
| 1960 | 6 | #6,377 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Yael
- Yael Dayan Politician · b. 1939
- Yael Abecassis Model · b. 1967
- Yael Naim Singer · b. 1978
- Yael Grobglas Actor · b. 1984
- Yael Arad Wrestler · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Yael mean?
Rendering of the modern Israeli Hebrew יעל.
How popular is the name Yael in 2025?
Yael ranked #818 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 304 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Yael?
9,708 babies have been named Yael in the United States since 1954, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Yael most popular?
Yael peaked in 2023, when 472 newborns received the name.
Is Yael a boy or girl name?
Yael is used for both: about 46% of babies named Yael have been girls and 54% boys.
Is the name Yael rising or falling?
Yael is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Yael?
Well-known people named Yael include Yael Dayan (politician), Yael Abecassis (model), Yael Naim (singer).