Yankee
The term Yankee and its contracted form Yank have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Their various meanings depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, the Northeastern United States, the Northern United States, or to people from the US in general.
Meaning & Origin of Yankee
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The term Yankee and its contracted form Yank have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Their various meanings depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, the Northeastern United States, the Northern United States, or to people from the US in general.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Yankee
Yankee first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2007, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 5 Yankees were born — ranking #12,366 that year. As of 2026, Yankee ranks #12,366 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Yankees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Yankee
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yankee is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Yankey
- Yankie
- Yanko
- Yankees
- Yank
- Yanks
- Yanked
- Yanker
- Hanky
- Hankie
- Hankey
- Janky
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Yankee
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About the name Yankee
Yankee is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2007 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Yankee's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #12,366. Use the chart and map above to compare Yankee's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "Y" →
- 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.