Yakov (alternative spellings: Jakov or Iakov, ) is a Russian or Hebrew variant of the given names Jacob and James. People also give the nickname Yasha () or Yashka () used for Yakov. Notable people People named Yakov Yakov Blumkin (1900–1929), a Left Socialist-Revolutionary Yakov Cherevichenko (1894–1976), Soviet military leader Yakov Chubin (1893–1956), Soviet official Yakov Dzhugashvili (1907–1943), the oldest son of Joseph Stalin Yakov Eliashberg (born 1946), American mathematician Yakov Ehrlich (born 1988), former Russian football player Yakov Eshpay (1890–1963), Soviet composer Yakov Estrin (1923–1987), Soviet chess player Yakov Fedorenko (1896–1947), Soviet military leader Yakov Frenkel (1894–1952), Soviet physicist Yakov Fliyer (1912–1977), Soviet pianist Yakov Gakkel (1901–1965), Soviet oceanographer Yakov "Yan" Gamarnik (1894–1937), Soviet official Yakov Grot (1812–1893), Russian philologist Yakov Kazyansky (born 1948), Russian musician Yakov Knyazhnin (1740/42–1791), Russian playwright Yakov Kozalchik, Polish strongman and professional wrestler who was also known as Shimshon Eisen Yakov Kreizberg (1959–2011), American conductor Yakov Kreizer (1905–1969), Soviet military leader Yakov Kulnev (1763–1812), Russian military leader Yakov Malik (1906–1980), Soviet diplomat Yakov Malkiel (1914–1998), American philologist Yakov I. Perelman (1882–1942), Soviet writer Yakov Permyakov (?–1712), Russian polar explorer Yakov Peters (1886–1938), Soviet official Yakov Polonsky (1819–1898), Russian poet Yakov Popok (1892–1938), Soviet official Yakov Protazanov (1881–1945), Russian and Soviet filmmaker Yakov Punkin, Soviet Olympic Greco-Roman featherweight wrestling champion Yakov Rylsky, Soviet Olympic and world champion saber fencer Yakov Sannikov, Russian merchant and explorer Yakov Shakhovskoy, Russian statesman Yakov G. Sinai Yakov Smirnoff, Ukrainian-born American comedian, painter and teacher Yakov Springer Yakov Sverdlov, Bolshevik party leader and official of the Russian Soviet Republic Yakov Tolstikov, Russian distance runner Yakov-Yan Toumarkin (born 1992), Israeli swimmer Yakov Vilner, Ukrainian chess master Yakov Yurovsky, Old Bolshevik activist Yakov Zak, Soviet pianist and teacher Yakov Borisovich Zel'dovich, Soviet physicist See also Jakov Yakovlev (surname) Yakovenko Hebrew masculine given names Russian masculine given names