Total births
5,991
Boys' name · since 1948
Yaakov
Since 1948, U.S. Social Security records show 5,991 babies named Yaakov, peaking in 2021. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #970
- among boys today
- 5,991
- born since 1948
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Yaakov is the #970 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 5,991 recorded since 1948.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Yaakov has been recorded 5,991 times among boys since 1948, currently ranked #970 nationally and more common than 93% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1948 to 2025.
- #970 among boys today
- 5,991 born since 1948
- 2010s peak decade
- 93% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Yaakov is currently the #970 boys' name in America, more common than 93% of boys - 5,991 born since 1948, peaking in the 2010s.
- #970
- among boys today
- 5,991
- born since 1948
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Yaakov vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#970
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 93% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Yaakov was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
237 babies were named Yaakov in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Yaakov compares
5,991 Top 11% higher than 89% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Yaakov's all-time total is 16x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Yaakov | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,991 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 237 | 23 | 22,252 |
Yaakov's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Yaakov splits its recorded history at 1989: 84% of all births land in the more recent half, 16% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1950 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2021 peak of 237 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Yaakov at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#970
Active since
1948
Yaakov popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1948–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 237
- Annual births at peak, across 78 years of records
Yaakov by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Yaakov's strongest decade.
1,728 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Yaakov births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
- 1950s 59
1950s
59 births
- 1960s 85
1960s
85 births
- 1970s 260
1970s
260 births
- 1980s 624
1980s
624 births
- 1990s
1990s
752 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,170 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,728 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,307 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,728 births (29% of all-time use).
How Yaakov compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Yaakov's total volume
Yaakov vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Yaakov by state
Where Yaakov concentrates geographically, total births since 1948
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 2,844 | 47.5% |
| #2 | New Jersey | | 1,802 | 30.1% |
| #3 | Maryland | | 178 | 3.0% |
| #4 | California | | 141 | 2.4% |
| #5 | Florida | | 56 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 43 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 16 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.1% |
New York share of Yaakov's total US births 47.5%
Even split
2,844 of 5,991 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Yaakov appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Yaakov? ▼
5,991 babies have been named Yaakov since 1948. It currently ranks #970 among boys. The peak year was 2021 with 237 births.
When was Yaakov most popular? ▼
Yaakov was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,728 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Yaakov most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Yaakov are New York (2,844 births), New Jersey (1,802 births), Maryland (178 births).
How long has the name Yaakov been used? ▼
Records for Yaakov go back to 1948, giving 78 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Yaakov? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Yaacov, Yaasir, Yaaseen, Yaamir, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Yaakov's data
- Yaakov's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,728 total births) through the 2020s (1,307) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Yaakovs (2,844 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Yaakov
Nearby Names Like Yaakov
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Yaakov
Yaacov Boy
#12758 127 births
Yaasir Boy
127 births
Yaaseen Boy
13 births
Yaamir Boy
5 births
Yaaqoub Boy
#14277 5 births
Compare Yaakov side by side: Yaakov vs Yaacov Yaakov vs Yaasir Yaakov vs Yaaseen
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Yaakov
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1948–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Yaakov: #970 Boys' Name - 5,991 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/yaakov. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Yaakov draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.