Fun Facts About the Name Yanni
- More than 1 thousand babies named Yanni: U.S. records list 1,061 babies given the name Yanni from 1880 through 2025. Even 280 girls received the name Yanni - about 1 girl for every 3 boys.
What Does the Name Yanni Mean?
Yanni is a Greek masculine name meaning "God is gracious." It corresponds to the Greek Ioannis (Ιωάννης), whose everyday shortened form is Giannis (Γιάννης); Yanni is one common English spelling of that short form. Ioannis descends from the Hebrew name Yochanan (יוֹחָנָן), formed from an element referring to the divine name and a root meaning "to be gracious." The same Hebrew name lies behind English John, French Jean, Spanish Juan, and Russian Ivan.
Yanni Name History & Origins
The Greek name entered Christian use through Ioannis, the Greek form of Hebrew Yochanan, borne in the New Testament by John the Baptist and John the Apostle. Use of the name spread with Greek-speaking Christianity, and in ordinary speech the long form was regularly shortened to Giannis, with the affectionate diminutive Giannakis.
English spellings of the short form include Yannis and Yanni. The two reflect different grammatical forms of the same Greek name: Γιάννης (Yannis) is the form used as the subject of a sentence, while Γιάννη (Yanni) is the form used when speaking to or about someone in certain cases. Translators into English have not settled on a single spelling, so both appear in print and in personal names.
A well-known bearer of the single name is the Greek pianist and composer Yiannis Chryssomallis, born in Kalamata, Greece, in 1954, who has performed and recorded internationally as Yanni.
How Popular is the Name Yanni?
Yanni 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 1998. Its best rank was #2,125 in 1998.
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 | #10,888 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #13,374 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #8,027 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #13,517 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #13,403 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #8,925 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #11,313 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #8,587 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #11,579 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #8,851 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #10,117 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #10,104 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #11,922 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #9,096 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #13,298 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #12,233 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #11,419 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #15,344 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #11,593 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #9,262 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #10,104 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #8,240 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #12,376 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #15,350 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #17,899 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #11,110 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #13,686 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #13,354 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #13,400 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,539 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,594 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #5,635 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2023 | #5,240 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #6,461 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2021 | #4,488 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #5,221 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #5,331 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #5,094 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #5,287 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #5,302 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #7,048 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #5,057 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #6,229 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #4,854 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #4,974 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #4,514 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2009 | #3,546 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2008 | #3,342 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 2007 | #4,487 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2006 | #3,522 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2005 | #3,524 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2004 | #3,633 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #2,777 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 2002 | #3,552 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2001 | #2,795 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2000 | #3,417 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1999 | #3,372 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1998 | #2,125 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 1997 | #2,611 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1996 | #2,909 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1995 | #2,441 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1994 | #2,946 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1993 | #4,216 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #8,411 | 6 | 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.
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How the Name Yanni 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.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Yanni's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yanni's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.