Yakov

♂ Boy

Pronounced YAH-kov /ˈjɑː.kɒv/Low

Meaning: He who supplants, follower at the heelLow

In 30 seconds: Yakov is the Russian and Eastern European form of Jacob, from the Hebrew Yaakov meaning he who supplants or grips the heel. In the Bible, Jacob was the twin brother of Esau and later renamed Israel, one of the great patriarchs.

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Origin LowHebrew, Slavic, Russian

MeaningHe who supplants, follower at the heel

U.S. rank (2025)#1286 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births153 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,344

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

Yakov is the Russian, Ukrainian, and Eastern European rendering of the Hebrew Yaakov (Jacob), meaning he who supplants or grips the heel. It has been used in Jewish and Slavic communities since antiquity and is the standard form in Russia and Eastern Europe.

In the United States, Yakov appears among families with Russian, Ukrainian, or Eastern European Jewish heritage. The form Yakov has a distinctly Russian/Slavic sound that distinguishes it from the English Jacob.

Did you know? In Genesis, Jacob was born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel — hence the Hebrew name Yaakov meaning gripping the heel. Later renamed Israel after wrestling with an angel, Jacob became the father of the twelve tribes.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name: Jacob

Variations

JacobYaakovYakobJakub

Nicknames

YakYakiKoby

Famous Bearers

★Jacob (Yakov) (biblical)
Hebrew patriarch renamed Israel, father of the twelve tribes, in the Book of Genesis

If you like Yakov…

Yaakov— Standard Hebrew form of same name

Jakob— German/Scandinavian variant

Jakub— Polish/Czech variant

Isaac— Fellow Hebrew patriarch name of same biblical tradition

Explore names like Yakov

By themehebrew biblical two-syllable slavic russian patriarch

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Frequently Asked

What does Yakov mean?

Yakov means he who supplants or grips the heel from the Hebrew Yaakov, the form of Jacob.

Is Yakov a Russian name?

Yes, Yakov is the Russian and Eastern European form of Jacob, used in Russian-speaking and Eastern European Jewish communities.

How do you pronounce Yakov?

Yakov is pronounced YAH-kov with two syllables.

What names are similar to Yakov?

Similar names include Yaakov, Jakob, Jakub, and Isaac.