Yair

♂ Boy

Pronounced YAH-eer /jɑːˈɪər/Low

Meaning: He will shine, he will illuminateLow

In 30 seconds: Yair is a Hebrew name meaning he will shine or he will illuminate, from the root to enlighten. Used in Jewish communities, it carries the beautiful aspiration that the bearer will shine light in the world.

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Origin LowHebrew

MeaningHe will shine, he will illuminate

U.S. rank (2024)#1407 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births133 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2006

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,917

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Yair is a Hebrew name meaning he will shine from the root to illuminate. It appears in Numbers and Judges as Jair, a leader of Israel.

Yair is used in Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide.

Did you know? Yair appears in the Bible as Jair the Gileadite, a judge of Israel. The Hebrew root yaar meaning to give light also connects to the name Jairus of the New Testament — all forms of a luminous aspiration.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name: yair

Variations

JairJairus

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

★Jair (biblical) (biblical)
Judge of Israel in the Book of Judges (Hebrew Yair); the name is borne by several Old Testament figures

If you like Yair…

Oren— Hebrew pine tree name

Ori— Hebrew my light name

Jair— another Hebrew name

Yahir— shares Yair's Hebrew roots

Ahmir— another Hebrew name

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By themehebrew biblical two-syllable jewish israel

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Frequently Asked

What does Yair mean?

He will shine, he will illuminate

How do you pronounce Yair?

Yair is pronounced YAH-eer.

What is the origin of Yair?

Yair comes from Hebrew.

What names are similar to Yair?

Similar names include eran, nir, oren.