Yaqob

Yaqob is a masculine given name derived from the Hebrew Yaʿaqoḇ, commonly rendered as Yaʿqūb or Yaqub in Arabic- and Urdu-speaking contexts. In Islamic tradition, Yaʿqūb is the Qurʾanic form of Jacob, regarded as a prophet and patriarch.

The Hebrew name Yaʿaqoḇ is traditionally associated with the meaning “heel” and is often explained as “holder of the heel” or “supplanter,” reflecting its biblical origin. The exact nuance of the meaning has been the subject of scholarly discussion, but the association with Jacob’s biblical story is widely recognized in Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions.

Variants and usage of the name are widespread. In Arabic, it appears as Yaʿqūb; in Turkish, Yakup; in Persian, Yaqub; and in several African and South Asian communities it appears in forms such as Yaqob, Yaqoub, or Yacob. The name is used across the Arab world, Iran, Turkey, the Indian subcontinent, and in diaspora communities in Europe and Africa.

Culturally and religiously significant, Yaʿqūb is the name of a figure in the Qurʾan who is the father of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) and a model figure within Islamic narratives. In the broader Abrahamic traditions, Jacob is the patriarch whose twelve sons are said to form the tribes of Israel; the name’s continued use reflects these overlapping legacies.

Today, Yaqob remains a common given name in many Muslim-majority countries and among communities of the diaspora, appearing in various transliterations and spoken forms in politics, religion, sports, and academia.

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