Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1959

Yancy

Meaning A male given name transferred from the surname Gender Unisex · 18% girls Rank 2025 #11,935

A male given name transferred from the surname.

Rank 2025
#11,935
among boys
Babies in 2025
6
named Yancy
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
123 babies
All-time total
2,951
#2,921 all-time among boys
First recorded
1886
in Social Security records

Yancy popularity over time

2,951 babies have been named Yancy since 1886, 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
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 11 11 1 – #920
1890s – 5 5 1 -55% #1,238
1900s – 13 13 1 +160% #1,047
1910s – 65 65 7 +400% #1,883
1920s – 93 93 9 +43% #2,267
1930s – 53 53 5 -43% #2,183
1940s – 86 86 9 +62% #2,021
1950s – 202 202 20 +135% #690
1960s 16 469 485 49 +140% #926
1970s 36 568 604 60 +25% #924
1980s 66 355 421 42 -30% #1,506
1990s 118 276 394 39 -6% #1,954
2000s 156 152 308 31 -22% #3,635
2010s 92 74 166 17 -46% #6,986
2020s (to 2025) 34 11 45 8 -55% #11,935

The story of Yancy

Yancy is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,935 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1886, 2,951 American babies have been named Yancy, about 82% boys and 18% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1959, when 123 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Yancy stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Yancy?

The median living Yancy is about 44 years old; half are between 28 and 56. An estimated 2,500 people named Yancy are alive in the United States today.

median 44 020406080100

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

Yancy 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 – – 6 #11,935
2024 12 #8,926 – –
2023 – – – –
2022 6 #15,223 – –
2021 11 #9,526 5 #14,001
2020 5 #17,417 – –
2019 6 #15,466 – –
2018 8 #12,417 9 #8,786
2017 12 #9,322 9 #8,805
2016 8 #12,829 7 #10,691
2015 8 #12,955 7 #10,592
2014 14 #8,469 11 #7,534
2013 5 #19,164 – –
2012 9 #12,170 10 #8,122
2011 14 #8,596 12 #6,986
2010 8 #13,399 9 #8,763
2009 11 #10,642 7 #10,936
2008 19 #7,059 11 #7,682
2007 10 #11,591 12 #7,066
2006 15 #8,222 14 #6,080
2005 19 #6,524 15 #5,567
2004 18 #6,762 14 #5,803
2003 16 #7,197 19 #4,415
2002 16 #7,035 22 #3,904
2001 21 #5,564 15 #5,135
2000 11 #9,148 23 #3,635
1995 13 #7,030 25 #2,922
1990 9 #9,231 34 #2,166
1985 6 #10,659 35 #1,762
1980 9 #7,403 40 #1,545
1975 – – 66 #1,018
1970 – – 67 #999
1965 – – 45 #1,128
1960 – – 67 #926
1955 – – 8 #3,199
1950 – – 9 #2,768
1945 – – 6 #3,334
1940 – – 11 #2,320
1935 – – 5 #4,143
1930 – – – –
1925 – – 7 #3,738
1920 – – 10 #2,966
1915 – – 7 #3,388
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – 8 #1,047
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Yancy

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

  1. 1 Yancy Butler Yancy Butler American television and film actress b. 1970 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Yancy?

The median living Yancy is about 44 years old. Half of all living Yancys are between 28 and 56 years old.

How many people named Yancy are alive today?

An estimated 2,500 people named Yancy are alive in the United States, based on 2,951 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Yancy mean?

A male given name transferred from the surname.

How popular is the name Yancy in 2025?

Yancy ranked #11,935 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Yancy?

2,951 babies have been named Yancy in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Yancy most popular?

Yancy peaked in 1959, when 123 newborns received the name.

Is Yancy a boy or girl name?

Yancy is used for both: about 18% of babies named Yancy have been girls and 82% boys.

Is the name Yancy rising or falling?

Yancy is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Yancy?

Well-known people named Yancy include Yancy Butler (actor).

Names like Yancy

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

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