Yannis
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.
Meaning & Origin of Yannis
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 →
The Story of Yannis
As a girl name
Yannis first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2002, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2009, when 16 Yanniss were born — ranking #7,677 that year. As of 2026, Yannis ranks #8,922 for girls with 11 births, with steady use. In total, more than 147 Yanniss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Yannis first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1973, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 43 Yanniss were born — ranking #2,915 that year. As of 2026, Yannis ranks #3,353 for boys with 36 births, rising sharply (+42% over the past five years). In total, more than 630 Yanniss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Yannis
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yannis 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 Yannis
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About the name Yannis
Yannis is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 630 births in the dataset. Yannis's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #2,892. Use the chart and map above to compare Yannis'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 "Y" →
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- 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.