Holding steady.
Popularity of Ying since 1980
Babies named Ying per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1992, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Ying's real moment was 1984.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 106 | 82 |
| 1990s | 84 | 58 |
| 2000s | 70 | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Ying is a name of Chinese origin, typically written with characters meaning 'clever', 'intelligent', or 'hero'. It first appeared on U.S. records in 1980 and reached its peak usage in 1984. Since then, its popularity has remained stable, with a consistent but small number of births each year. The name is most often given to girls, especially in families with Chinese heritage, and does not appear frequently enough to rank among the top 1000 names nationally. Despite its rarity, Ying carries a clear and positive meaning in its original language.
Ying originates from Chinese characters such as 英 (yīng) meaning 'hero, brave' or 颖 (yǐng) meaning 'clever, intelligent'. It is often used as a feminine given name in modern China, sometimes combined with other characters to form compound names like Yìngyún or Yìngjié. The name has been in use in the United States since at least 1980, primarily among families of Chinese heritage.
Sibling names for Ying
Names that share Ying's style, for a brother or sister.
