Yan
Boy name · #2378 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Yan? In official American birth records, Yan has been tracked continuously since 1971, giving it 54 years of documented American history.
Yan ranks #2378 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 58 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #5058, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,034 boys born in 2025 was named Yan.
Babies named Yan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 54-year story
Yan first appears in the Social Security records in 1971, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 58 babies and a rank of #2363. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Yan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Yan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Yan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Yan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Yan is most common
State-level data for Yan is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Yan
Statistically, parents drawn to Yan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sufyan, Shayan, Zyan, Dayan, and Elyan.
SufyanShayanZyanDayanElyanYoanCyanJayan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Yan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58 | #2363 |
| 2024 | 44 | #2873 |
| 2023 | 44 | #2848 |
| 2022 | 28 | #3879 |
| 2021 | 25 | #4118 |
| 2020 | 25 | #4020 |
| 2019 | 24 | #4230 |
| 2018 | 34 | #3301 |
| 2017 | 35 | #3249 |
| 2016 | 30 | #3596 |
| 2015 | 18 | #5058 |
| 2014 | 29 | #3617 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 24 | #4131 |
| 2011 | 26 | #3885 |
| 2010 | 27 | #3812 |
| 2009 | 28 | #3721 |
| 2008 | 26 | #3921 |
| 2007 | 28 | #3687 |
| 2006 | 33 | #3227 |
| 2005 | 29 | #3389 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3534 |
| 2003 | 27 | #3366 |
| 2002 | 26 | #3349 |
| 2001 | 24 | #3512 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Yan?
In official American birth records, the name Yan first appeared in 1971 (over 54 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 54 years.
Is Yan a popular boy name?
Yan ranked #2378 among boys in 2025 with 58 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5058.
When was the name Yan most popular?
Yan peaked in 2025, when 58 American boys received the name (ranked #2363 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Yan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,034 newborn American boys was named Yan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.