Yoel
Boy name · #1639 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Yoel? In official American birth records, Yoel has been tracked continuously since 1970, giving it 55 years of documented American history.
Yoel ranks #1639 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 103 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1317, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,476 boys born in 2025 was named Yoel.
The 55-year story
Yoel first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 180 boys were named Yoel — good for #1100 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Yoel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Yoel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Yoel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Yoel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Yoel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Yoel is most common
State-level data for Yoel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Yoel
Statistically, parents drawn to Yoel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yisroel, Yechiel, Neel, Yisrael, and Hansel.
YisroelYechielNeelYisraelHanselYaelAbielMendel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Yoel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 103 | #1634 |
| 2024 | 120 | #1494 |
| 2023 | 156 | #1244 |
| 2022 | 134 | #1388 |
| 2021 | 140 | #1325 |
| 2020 | 150 | #1240 |
| 2019 | 180 | #1100 |
| 2018 | 142 | #1291 |
| 2017 | 147 | #1245 |
| 2016 | 159 | #1194 |
| 2015 | 134 | #1317 |
| 2014 | 120 | #1402 |
| 2013 | 109 | #1492 |
| 2012 | 102 | #1551 |
| 2011 | 109 | #1484 |
| 2010 | 117 | #1415 |
| 2009 | 95 | #1654 |
| 2008 | 99 | #1594 |
| 2007 | 94 | #1638 |
| 2006 | 86 | #1654 |
| 2005 | 75 | #1752 |
| 2004 | 74 | #1720 |
| 2003 | 60 | #1936 |
| 2002 | 81 | #1529 |
| 2001 | 60 | #1841 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Yoel?
In official American birth records, the name Yoel first appeared in 1970 (over 55 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 55 years.
Is Yoel a popular boy name?
Yoel ranked #1639 among boys in 2025 with 103 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1317.
When was the name Yoel most popular?
Yoel peaked in 2019, when 180 American boys received the name (ranked #1100 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Yoel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,476 newborn American boys was named Yoel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.