Yong
Yong is a family name used in Korea, as well as a character in some Korean given names. It may also mean sun in some cases. As a family name, it may also be spelled Ryong in Korea. It is of Sino-Korean origin.
- Chinese
- Korean
Meaning & Origin of Yong
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yong is a family name used in Korea, as well as a character in some Korean given names. It may also mean sun in some cases. As a family name, it may also be spelled Ryong in Korea. It is of Sino-Korean origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Chinese
- Korean
The Story of Yong
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Yong as a girl name dates back to 1936, when 5 babies received it. 1954 was its biggest year on record, with 13 newborns named Yong — #3,157 in the national rankings. About 60% of every Yong on record arrived during the 1950s, its defining decade. Yong last appeared in the published SSA data in 1983, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 124 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1930s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Yong as a boy name dates back to 1941, when 5 babies received it. 1993 was its biggest year on record, with 13 newborns named Yong — #4,447 in the national rankings. About 31% of every Yong on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. Yong last appeared in the published SSA data in 2006, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 301 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1940s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Yong
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Jang Yong (born 1945), South Korean footballer
- Ryoo Ryong (born 1957), South Korean chemistry professor
- Jim Yong Kim (born Kim Yong, 1959), South Korean-born American physician, 12th President of the World Bank
- Lee Yong (luger) (born 1978), South Korean luger
- Kang Yong (born 1979), South Korean footballer
- Min Ryoung (born 1982), South Korean short track speed skater
- Lee Yong (footballer born 1986) , South Korean footballer
- Lee Yong (footballer born 1989) , South Korean footballer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Yong
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yong 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 Yong
What does the name Yong mean?
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How popular is Yong in 2026?
When was Yong most popular?
In which U.S. states is Yong most popular?
Is Yong a unisex name?
What names go well with Yong?
About the name Yong
Yong is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1941 and has accumulated 301 births in the dataset. Yong's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #4,447. Use the chart and map above to compare Yong's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- 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.