Yi
The Story of Yi
As a girl name
Yi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1980, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 11 Yis were born — ranking #9,264 that year. As of 2026, Yi ranks #11,069 for girls with 8 births, rising sharply (+33% over the past five years). In total, more than 172 Yis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Yi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1983, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 25 Yis were born — ranking #4,093 that year. As of 2026, Yi ranks #6,752 for boys with 12 births, falling sharply (-19%). In total, more than 313 Yis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Yi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yi 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 Yi
What does the name Yi mean?
How popular is Yi in 2026?
When was Yi most popular?
In which U.S. states is Yi most popular?
Is Yi a unisex name?
What names go well with Yi?
About the name Yi
Yi is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1983 and has accumulated 313 births in the dataset. Yi's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #4,093. Use the chart and map above to compare Yi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2018 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- 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.