Yitzchok
Yitzchok was the 911th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 261 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 310 places. More babies were named Yitzchok in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning he will laugh · Hebrew
Say it YITS-khok /ˈjɪtsxək/
- Rank in 2025
- #911 boys, up 139 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 261boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025261 babies
- Total since 1880
- 5,451babies recorded
What does the name Yitzchok mean?
Yitzchok is a spelling of יִצְחָק, the Hebrew name of the patriarch Isaac, that follows the traditional Ashkenazi pronunciation of the final vowel; Yitzchak follows modern Israeli Hebrew. Grammatically the name is a verb form from the root meaning 'to laugh', so 'he will laugh' or 'he laughs'. In Genesis 21:6 Sarah links it to the laughter that surrounded his birth. DMNES gives the same 'he will laugh' gloss for Isaac.
יִצְחָק (Biblical Hebrew, “he will laugh”)צָחַק (Biblical Hebrew, “to laugh”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Pronunciation: The ch is a throaty sound, as in Scottish loch; English speakers often say k.
Related names: Yitzchak, Yitzhak, Itzhak, Isaac.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean joy.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Yitzchak', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'יצחק' (Hebrew section), Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Hebrew Bible, Genesis 21:6, Hebrew text with JPS translation (via Sefaria), Sefaria
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Isaac', DMNES, Durham University
Nicknames for Yitzchok
The usual nicknames for Yitzchok are Itzik and Yitzy.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itzik · Yiddish pet form | Traditional | — | — |
| Yitzy | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Yitzchoks go by each one.
Yitzchok popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #911 | 261 |
| 2020 | #1,050 | 193 |
| 2010 | #1,340 | 128 |
| 2000 | #1,400 | 90 |
| 1990 | #1,529 | 56 |
| 1980 | #1,592 | 38 |
| 1970 | #2,890 | 12 |
| 1960 | #2,038 | 17 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Yitzchok, counting every spelling?
Yitzchok has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #877 for boys in 2025, against #911 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Yitzchok?
261 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Yitzchok (0.07 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Yitzchok born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 32 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Yitzchok.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Yitzchok?
About 5,300 people born in the US named Yitzchok are alive today, with a median age of 15; half are between 7 and 28. That makes Yitzchok mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Yitzchok by state
How common Yitzchok was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (13.5×), New York (12.7×). In 49 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Yitzchok: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Yitzchok, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Yitzchok · Sibling names for Yitzchok
Questions about the name Yitzchok
What does Yitzchok mean?
Yitzchok means “he will laugh” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Yitzchok?
Yitzchok was the 911th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 261 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 310 places. More babies were named Yitzchok in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Yitzchok a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Yitzchok in the US.
Where is Yitzchok most popular?
In 2021–2025, Yitzchok was most common in New Jersey (1.74 per 1,000 boys), followed by New York and New York.