Declining since 2011, #6,803 for boys today.
Popularity of Yaniel since 1998
Babies named Yaniel per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 185 |
| 2010s | 321 |
| 2020s | 111 |
Meaning & origin
Yaniel is a modern American name that entered the U.S. naming pool in 1998 and peaked in popularity in 2012. Since 2011, its usage has been falling, reflecting a pattern common among trendy coinages. The name appears most frequently during the 2010s, though it remains very rare: in 2025, only about 1 in 142,340 newborns were named Yaniel. Its origins are unclear, but it fits a pattern of invented names ending in -iel, such as Yadiel and Jandel. Yaniel has not appeared in any top state rankings, underscoring its niche appeal.
Yaniel is a modern given name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1998. Its formation likely involves the fashionable -iel suffix, common in angelic names (e.g., Gabriel, Daniel), combined with the initial Yan, itself a variant of John or Ian. There is no established historical or linguistic derivation; the name is best understood as a contemporary coinage.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Yan, Yani
Sibling names for Yaniel
Names that share Yaniel's style, for a brother or sister.
