Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1982

Yen

Gender Unisex · 92% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Yen
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1982
33 babies
All-time total
611
#10,990 all-time among girls
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Yen popularity over time

611 babies have been named Yen since 1975, 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 29 – 29 3 – #6,602
1980s 246 19 265 27 +814% #2,829
1990s 127 13 140 14 -47% #4,806
2000s 100 10 110 11 -21% #8,021
2010s 52 5 57 6 -48% #8,600
2020s (to 2025) 10 – 10 2 -71% #17,431

The story of Yen

Yen is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1975, 611 American babies have been named Yen, about 92% girls and 8% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1982, when 33 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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

How old are people named Yen?

The median living Yen is about 35 years old; half are between 22 and 41. An estimated 600 people named Yen are alive in the United States today.

median 35 020406080100

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

Yen 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 5 #17,671 – –
2021 – – – –
2020 5 #17,431 – –
2019 – – 5 #14,056
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 7 #14,274 – –
2015 7 #14,437 – –
2014 6 #16,443 – –
2013 – – – –
2012 6 #16,776 – –
2011 14 #8,600 – –
2010 12 #9,762 – –
2009 11 #10,651 – –
2008 14 #8,950 – –
2007 10 #11,602 – –
2006 12 #9,893 – –
2005 9 #11,808 5 #13,315
2004 11 #9,873 – –
2003 10 #10,407 5 #12,716
2002 – – – –
2001 10 #10,085 – –
2000 13 #8,021 – –
1995 10 #8,753 – –
1990 10 #8,487 7 #7,168
1985 32 #2,935 – –
1980 19 #4,143 – –
1975 5 #10,599 – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Yen

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

  1. 1 Yen Chia-kan Yen Chia-kan President of the Republic of China from 1975 to 1978 1905–1993 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Yen?

The median living Yen is about 35 years old. Half of all living Yens are between 22 and 41 years old.

How many people named Yen are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Yen are alive in the United States, based on 611 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Yen in 2025?

Yen did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Yen?

611 babies have been named Yen in the United States since 1975, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Yen most popular?

Yen peaked in 1982, when 33 newborns received the name.

Is Yen a boy or girl name?

Yen is used for both: about 92% of babies named Yen have been girls and 8% boys.

Is the name Yen rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Yen?

Well-known people named Yen include Yen Chia-kan (politician).

Names like Yen

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

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