Giannis
Yannis, Yiannis, or Giannis is a common Greek given name, a variant of John (Hebrew) meaning "God is gracious." In formal Greek the name exists only as Ioannis (Ιωάννης). Variants include Yannis, Iannis, Yannakis, Yanis, and the rare Yannos, usually found in the Peloponnese and Cyprus.
- Greek
Meaning & Origin of Giannis
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yannis, Yiannis, or Giannis is a common Greek given name, a variant of John (Hebrew) meaning "God is gracious." In formal Greek the name exists only as Ioannis (Ιωάννης). Variants include Yannis, Iannis, Yannakis, Yanis, and the rare Yannos, usually found in the Peloponnese and Cyprus.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Greek
The Story of Giannis
The earliest SSA record of Giannis as a baby boy name dates back to 2014, when 5 babies received it. 2022 was its biggest year on record, with 162 newborns named Giannis — #1,216 in the national rankings. About 80% of every Giannis on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Giannis ranks #1,428 for baby boys with 130 births, rising sharply (+33% over the past five years). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Giannis
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Giannis. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Giannis
Phonetically similar names — useful when Giannis is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Giannis
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About the name Giannis
Giannis is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2014 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Giannis's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #1,216. Use the chart and map above to compare Giannis's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.