Yiannis
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 Yiannis
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 Yiannis
Yiannis first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1981, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 32 Yianniss were born — ranking #3,608 that year. As of 2026, Yiannis ranks #3,608 for baby boys with 32 births, rising sharply (+54% over the past five years). In total, more than 440 Yianniss 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 Yiannis
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yiannis 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 Yiannis
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About the name Yiannis
Yiannis is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1981 and has accumulated 440 births in the dataset. Yiannis's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #3,589. Use the chart and map above to compare Yiannis's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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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.