Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Yale
BoyWelsh, English· “fertile upland”
- Meaning
- fertile upland
- Origin
- Welsh, English
- Pronunciation
- YAYL
- Syllables
- 1
- US rank 2025
- Unranked
- US babies 2025
- 0
- Best rank
- #1,302 (1916)
- Peak year
- 1929
Meaning and origin of Yale
Yale is a Welsh and English name that is usually said to mean “fertile upland”.
Yale is a Welsh surname from Iâl, a district in northeast Wales, whose name is usually explained as fertile upland. It is said YAYL, rhyming with sail. The name has an academic, polished image. It is short and distinctive. Elihu Yale, a benefactor of the college in Connecticut, gave the surname its fame, and the college became Yale University. As a given name, Yale is rare and used mainly in the US.
Popularity over time
Yale first appears in US Social Security records in 1908. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. Its best national rank was #1,302 in 1916, and the most babies received it in 1929, when 29 were named Yale. It did not appear in the 2025 data, which only lists names given to at least five babies.
Its national rank moved from #1,884 in 1920, #2,437 in 1950, #4,487 in 1980, #6,301 in 2000, and #12,163 in 2010. Of the 1,416 US boys named Yale since records began, 15% were born in the 1920s, its biggest decade. The 1960s come next, with 164 babies. Since 2010, 68 more have been named Yale.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Aldon, Adron, Lawyer, Elihu, and Victoriano.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Yale is usually pronounced YAYL, with one syllable. It has four letters, starts with Y and ends in “-le”.
Middle names for Yale
A few middle names that flow with Yale: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Yale
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Lists that include Yale
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Yale mean?
Yale is a Welsh and English name that is usually said to mean “fertile upland”.
What is the origin of the name Yale?
Yale has Welsh and English roots. Yale is a Welsh surname from Iâl, a district in northeast Wales, whose name is usually explained as fertile upland.
Is Yale a popular name?
No. Yale was not recorded for five or more babies of its most common sex in 2025, so it is rare today.
Is Yale a boy or girl name?
Yale is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Yale?
Yale is usually pronounced YAYL. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings