Yan: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,386

among boys · ↑523 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Yan · +32% vs 2024

How common

1 in 29,450

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2025

58 babies

All-time total

1,085

#5,182 all-time among boys

First recorded

1971

in Social Security records

Yan popularity over time

1,085 babies have been named Yan since 1971, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	24	24	2	–	#3,563
1980s	10	121	131	13	+446%	#3,102
1990s	13	90	103	10	-21%	#3,674
2000s	55	259	314	31	+205%	#3,304
2010s	21	268	289	29	-8%	#3,311
2020s (to 2025)	–	224	224	37	+29%	#2,386

Where Yan is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	64	0.04	outside top 500
2027	69	0.04	outside top 500
2028	74	0.04	outside top 500
2029	78	0.05	outside top 500
2030	82	0.05	outside top 500

The story of Yan

Yan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,386 in 2025 with 58 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1971, 1,085 American babies have been named Yan, about 91% boys and 9% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 58 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Yan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Yan?

The median living Yan is about 16 years old; half are between 7 and 25. An estimated 1,100 people named Yan are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Yan year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	58	#2,386
2024	–	–	44	#2,909
2023	–	–	44	#2,893
2022	–	–	28	#3,989
2021	–	–	25	#4,240
2020	–	–	25	#4,135
2019	–	–	24	#4,328
2018	–	–	34	#3,371
2017	5	#18,329	35	#3,311
2016	6	#16,144	30	#3,678
2015	5	#19,002	18	#5,281
2014	–	–	29	#3,689
2013	–	–	21	#4,615
2012	–	–	24	#4,245
2011	–	–	26	#3,986
2010	5	#19,715	27	#3,891
2009	–	–	28	#3,826
2008	–	–	26	#4,040
2007	8	#13,875	28	#3,791
2006	7	#15,091	33	#3,304
2005	5	#19,099	29	#3,446
2004	5	#18,730	26	#3,632
2003	7	#13,796	27	#3,441
2002	7	#13,550	26	#3,447
2001	5	#17,897	24	#3,615
2000	11	#9,147	12	#5,903
1995	–	–	11	#5,492
1990	–	–	12	#4,665
1985	–	–	12	#3,799
1980	–	–	13	#3,429
1975	–	–	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Yan

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Yan Xishan Chinese general, warlord, and politician (1883–1960) 19th century
2 Yan Lianke Chinese novelist and satirist (born 1958) Contemporary
3 Yan Hui Chinese philosopher (c. 521–481 BC) -521–-490 · Antiquity
4 Yan Liben Chinese painter (c. 600-673) Medieval
5 Yan Fu Chinese translator and scholar (1854–1921) 19th century
6 Yan Gamarnik Soviet general (1894–1937) 19th century
7 Yan Zi Chinese-Hong Kong tennis player b. 1984 · Contemporary
8 Yan Bartelemí Cuban Olympic champion boxer (b. 1980) Contemporary
9 Yan Sen Chinese table tennis player b. 1975 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Yan, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Yan?

The median living Yan is about 16 years old. Half of all living Yans are between 7 and 25 years old.

How many people named Yan are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Yan are alive in the United States, based on 1,085 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Yan mean?

Spelling variant of Ian.

How popular is the name Yan in 2025?

Yan ranked #2,386 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 58 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Yan?

1,085 babies have been named Yan in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Yan most popular?

Yan peaked in 2025, when 58 newborns received the name.

Is Yan a boy or girl name?

Yan is used for both: about 9% of babies named Yan have been girls and 91% boys.

Is the name Yan rising or falling?

Yan is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Yan become more popular?

Yan is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 82 boys named Yan in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Yan?

Well-known people named Yan include Yan Xishan (politician), Yan Lianke (writer), Yan Hui (philosopher).

Names like Yan

Names that sound and feel close to Yan: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Yan with similar names → More names starting with Y →