Fun Facts About the Name Yami
- 52 babies named Yami: U.S. records list 52 babies given the name Yami from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Yami Mean?
Yami (Sanskrit Yamī, यमी) is a feminine name meaning "twin sister" or "female twin." It comes from the masculine yama, "twin," with the feminine ending -ī. In Hindu tradition, Yami is the twin sister of Yama, the first mortal and lord of the dead, and she is associated with the Yamuna River. Sanskrit dictionaries also give yamī the secondary sense "night." Separately, the Japanese word yami (闇) means "darkness." That word is not related to the Sanskrit name and is not a common traditional Japanese given name, though it appears as a name-like element in modern fiction.
Yami Name History & Origins
The Sanskrit name Yami appears in the Rigveda, in the dialogue hymn between Yama and Yamī (Rigveda 10.10), where she is Yama's twin sister. In later Hindu texts she is linked with the Yamuna River and sometimes with night. The name has been used as a feminine given name in South Asia, especially in Hindu communities.
In Japanese, yami (闇) is the ordinary word for darkness. Its use as a personal name is rare; it is best known in English through fictional characters such as the "Yami" alter egos in the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, where Yami works as a title or descriptor rather than a traditional Japanese given name. This modern literary use is separate from the older Sanskrit name.
How Popular is the Name Yami?
Yami has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2023. Its best rank was #11,110 in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,131 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #12,066 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #11,110 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #13,511 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #17,883 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #15,597 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #18,320 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #19,102 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Yami
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with Y
Short Girl Names That Start with Y
How the Name Yami Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Yami's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yami's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.