girl's name
Yvonne
ee-VON (English)
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 423,306
Yvonne is a girl's name from a Germanic word for the yew tree, by way of Breton. It is reviving, though it now ranks 6,167th in France — the market that holds almost all of its history.
- Yvonne is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1920, when 9,055 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in France.
- Today about 1 in 117,911 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Yvonne Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 65,430 |
| 1910s | 60,610 |
| 1920s | 71,455 |
| 1930s | 36,435 |
| 1940s | 14,490 |
| 1950s | 6,055 |
| 1960s | 1,695 |
| 1970s | 380 |
| 1980s | 160 |
| 1990s | 85 |
| 2000s | 55 |
| 2010s | 50 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 30 |
What Yvonne Means
Yvonne means yew, or of the yew tree. The Germanic element behind it names the wood that bows were made from, so the association is with weaponry as much as with the tree.
Where Yvonne Comes From
Yvonne is the feminine of Yvon, itself a diminutive of Yves, from the Germanic iv — a yew. Yew was the wood of the longbow, so the element carries a martial sense that the tree alone does not, and it appears across Germanic naming for that reason. Saint Yves of Kermartin, a thirteenth-century Breton lawyer who represented the poor without charge, is the patron saint of lawyers and the reason the name saturated Brittany. The same yew element gives Ivor and, by a separate route, the place name York. Yvonne spread from Brittany through France in the late nineteenth century.
Yvonne in Use
Yvonne peaked in France in 1920, when 9,055 babies were registered, and it is reviving. It now ranks 2,053rd in the United States on 92 births, 3,174th in England and Wales and 6,167th in France on 5, across 423,306 lifetime births. The revival is happening outside its home market: France, which holds most of its 422,566 births, has very nearly stopped using it, while the American and British numbers hold up better.
How Popular Is Yvonne?
In 2025, Yvonne was given to 5 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Yvonne Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Yvonne
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Yvonne Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Yvonne over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Yvonne
- English ee-VON /i.vɔn/
2 nicknames for Yvonne
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Yvonne in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Yvonne
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Yvonne — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Yvonne
What does the name Yvonne mean?
Yew, from a Germanic element — the wood the longbow was made from.
Is Yvonne related to Yves?
Yes — Yvonne is the feminine of Yvon, a diminutive of Yves.
Why is Yves the patron of lawyers?
Saint Yves of Kermartin was a thirteenth-century Breton lawyer who represented the poor without charge.
How popular is Yvonne?
2,053rd in the United States and 6,167th in France, though it is reviving.
Is Yvonne a girl's or a boy's name?
Yvonne is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Yvonne?
Yvonne has 2 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Yvonne?
Yvonne is usually shortened to Von and Vonnie.
Is Yvonne a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Yvonne currently ranks #2,053 in France. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.