Yanis
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
- French
Meaning & Origin of Yanis
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
- French
The Story of Yanis
As a girl name
Yanis first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1998, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 13 births, good for #8,021 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 45% of all recorded Yaniss. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 134 Yaniss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Yanis as a boy name dates back to 1998, when 5 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 68 newborns named Yanis — #2,109 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 55% of all recorded Yaniss. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,405 among boy names with 59 births, rising sharply (+32% over the past five years). In total, more than 739 Yaniss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Yanis
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Yanis. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Yanis
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yanis 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 Yanis
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About the name Yanis
Yanis is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1998 and has accumulated 739 births in the dataset. Yanis's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,109. Use the chart and map above to compare Yanis's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- 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.