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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Mountain goat, ibex
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- Pronunciation
- yah-ELL
Yael is a Hebrew boy's name, pronounced yah-ELL, that traces back to the Hebrew word for mountain goat or ibex. Some baby-name sites gloss it as meaning "strength" or "to ascend," but that's not the attested sense — Yael ties to the animal name, the same root behind the biblical Jael. It's a classic name with a worldly, romantic, storybook feel.
Meaning & Origin of Yael
Meaning: Mountain goat, ibex.
Origin: Hebrew.
A common claim: Yael is sometimes glossed on baby-name sites as meaning 'strength' or 'to ascend.' Actually: Wiktionary ties Yael to 'mountain goat' or 'ibex,' as with the biblical Jael — not to 'strength.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Yael
yah-ELLIPA /jɑːˈɛl/
Popularity of Yael
Yael has held steady in Social Security data stretching back to 1954, peaking at #777 in 2023 with 328 babies before easing slightly to #790 in 2024 with 317.
Names Like Yael
These names share Yael’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Yael mean?
Mountain goat, ibex. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Yael?
Yael is pronounced yah-ELL (IPA: /jɑːˈɛl/).
Is Yael a popular name right now?
Yael is near its all-time peak (#777 in 2023), ranked #790 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1954–2024.)
Make Yael Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Yael, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Yael? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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