יואב
Yoav means “God is father”
Yoav is a boy's name of Biblical origin.
Joab was the commander of King David's army.
- In Hebrew
- יואב
- In English letters
- Yoav
- Other English spellings
- Joab
- Meaning
- God is father
- Origin
- Biblical
- Given to
- Boys
- Gematria value
- 19
17,141 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Yoav.
- 17,141 of them are men and boys, and fewer than 5 are women and girls.
- 652 of them were born in 2007, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 737, against 2,327 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is shrinking.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Yoav is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling יואב today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish boys | 17,141 | 107 | 139 of 541 |
| Muslim boys | 8 | 0 | – |
In 2024, Yoav ranked 139 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Yoav in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Yoav.
What does the name Yoav mean?
Yoav means “God is father”. Yoav is a boy's name of Biblical origin. Joab was the commander of King David's army.
Is Yoav a boy's name or a girl's name?
Yoav is mainly a boy's name. Of the 17,141 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 17,141 are men and boys and fewer than 5 are women and girls.
How do you write Yoav in Hebrew?
Yoav is written יואב in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Yoav?
17,141 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Yoav today. The most were born in 2007. In 2024, Yoav ranked 139 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.