Yves
Yves is a common French male given name of uncertain origin, either from Celtic as in the Gaulish name Ivo (Iuo) and compound names Ivorix and Ivomagus (Iuo-magi), all derived from the Gaulish term for yew, iuos or īuos, or from Germanic, derived from Proto-Germanic *īwaz, *īhwaz, masculine variant of *īwō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eyHweh₂, meaning yew.
- French
Meaning & Origin of Yves
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yves is a common French male given name of uncertain origin, either from Celtic as in the Gaulish name Ivo (Iuo) and compound names Ivorix and Ivomagus (Iuo-magi), all derived from the Gaulish term for yew, iuos or īuos, or from Germanic, derived from Proto-Germanic *īwaz, *īhwaz, masculine variant of *īwō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eyHweh₂, meaning yew.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- French
The Story of Yves
American parents first put Yves on the record books as a baby boy name in 1916, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 37 Yvess were born — ranking #1,672 that year. About 22% of every Yves on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Yves ranks #5,809 for baby boys with 16 births, falling sharply (-16%). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Yves
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Yves. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Yves
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yves is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Yves
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About the name Yves
Yves is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Yves's peak popularity came in 1985 when it ranked #1,661. Use the chart and map above to compare Yves's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1985 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "Y" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.