Yan
Boy name · #2378 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Yan scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Yan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Yan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Yans were FL (11), CA (9), NJ (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.