Yan
Yan is a name with multiple cultural origins: Belarusian, Chinese, French.
- Belarusian
- Chinese
- French
Meaning & Origin of Yan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yan is a name with multiple cultural origins: Belarusian, Chinese, French.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Belarusian
- Chinese
- French
The Story of Yan
As a girl name
Yan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1983, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 11 Yans were born — ranking #8,534 that year. As of 2026, Yan ranks #15,899 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 99 Yans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Yan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1971, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 49 Yans were born — ranking #2,686 that year. As of 2026, Yan ranks #2,686 for boys with 49 births, rising sharply (+48% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Yans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Yan
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Yan. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Yan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yan 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 Yan
What does the name Yan mean?
What is the origin of the name Yan?
How popular is Yan in 2026?
When was Yan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Yan most popular?
Is Yan a unisex name?
What names go well with Yan?
What are nicknames or variants of Yan?
About the name Yan
Yan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Yan's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #2,686. Use the chart and map above to compare Yan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "Y" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.