Holding steady, #7,194 for boys today.
Popularity of Yann since 1984
Babies named Yann per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2006, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Yann's real moment was 2019.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 16 |
| 1990s | 32 |
| 2000s | 122 |
| 2010s | 117 |
| 2020s | 59 |
Meaning & origin
Yann is a Breton form of John that has seen modest but steady use in the United States since it first appeared in Social Security records in 1984. The name reached its highest rank of 7,194th in 2019, the same year it achieved its peak count of births. As of 2024, the name remains stable in usage, with approximately 1 in every 155,280 newborn boys receiving the name. Despite its low statistical profile, Yann carries strong cultural resonance in Brittany, where it is a classic given name. Its simplicity and cross-linguistic appeal have helped it maintain a consistent presence among parents seeking a distinctive yet traditional name. The name has no recorded top state concentrations, reflecting its even distribution across the country.
Yann is the Breton form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning 'God is gracious'. It has been used in Brittany for centuries and gained wider recognition through the French author Yann Martel (author of Life of Pi). The name is closely related to the Welsh Ifan and the Irish Eoin.
“Yann” around the world
Where Yann lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
105
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Yan, Yahn
Sibling names for Yann
Names that share Yann's style, for a brother or sister.
