Yves
Meaningyew · French
- US rank
- #5,399
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #1,661 in 1981
17 babies were named Yves in the US in 2025. It has climbed 897 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million boys, 1916–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Yves you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Yves
Yves Saint Laurent
French fashion designer (1936–2008)
Choose Yves and your child shares a first name with Yves Saint Laurent, a French fashion designer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Yves, like who?” Yves Saint Laurent's Wikipedia article is available in 77 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Yves Saint Laurent on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: L'Espresso, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 100,000 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Yves, 17 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Yves would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryYves first shows up in US birth records in 1916, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 109 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1981, when it ranked #1,661. Today it's #5,399, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendYves has climbed 897 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #5,399. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Boy or girlYves is given to both boys and girls: 65% of the 26 babies named Yves in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn French, Yves means “yew”. Our records link it to English and French roots.
About the name Yves
Yves is a boy name of English and French origin meaning “yew”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with Y and ending in “-ves”. US birth records list Yves for boys from 1916 to 2025, in 79 of those 110 years. Its best year was 1981, when it ranked #1,661 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #5,399, with 17 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1.4 | 714,286 boys |
| 1920s | 0.5 | 2,222,222 boys |
| 1930s | 0.5 | 2,083,333 boys |
| 1940s | 0.7 | 1,470,588 boys |
| 1950s | 2.8 | 359,712 boys |
| 1960s | 7.7 | 129,199 boys |
| 1970s | 11 | 93,545 boys |
| 1980s | 14 | 69,832 boys |
| 1990s | 9.1 | 109,890 boys |
| 2000s | 6.3 | 158,228 boys |
| 2010s | 7.0 | 142,857 boys |
| 2020s | 9.3 | 108,108 boys |
Other spellings of Yves
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Yves
What does the name Yves mean?
Yves means “yew” in French.
What is the origin of the name Yves?
Yves has English, French roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Yves a boy or girl name?
Yves is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Yves?
Yves ranked #5,399 for US boys in 2025, given to 17 babies. Its best year was 1981 (#1,661).