Fun Facts About the Name Yarrow
- 151 babies named Yarrow: U.S. records list 151 babies given the name Yarrow from 1880 through 2025. Even 60 boys received the name Yarrow - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Yarrow Mean?
Yarrow is an English word name meaning the yarrow plant (Achillea millefolium). The plant name comes from Old English gearwe, which developed into Middle English yarowe and modern English yarrow. It is a direct plant name, not a compound with a translated phrase meaning.
The yarrow is a herb with finely divided leaves and flat clusters of small white or pink flowers. Its genus name, Achillea, comes from the Achilles legend, but that botanical name is not the source of the English word. Later folklore connects yarrow with healing and divination; those are cultural associations, not the name's etymology.
Yarrow Name History & Origins
The word yarrow has named the plant in English since the Old English period. Gearwe is the early form; Middle English yarowe leads to the modern spelling. The plant was known in medieval herbals and household remedies, where its feathery leaves and clustered flowers made it easy to identify.
As a first name, Yarrow is generally understood as a modern nature name taken from the plant word. It is not an old inherited given name with a continuous history like Mary or Edward. A surname Yarrow also exists in Britain, sometimes from place names, but the first-name use is best understood as a botanical word name rather than a traditional family name.
How Popular is the Name Yarrow?
Yarrow 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 1976. Its best rank was #5,093 in 1973.
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 | #17,181 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #13,522 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #15,161 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #17,416 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #12,404 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #15,819 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #15,758 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #10,395 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #7,310 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #9,735 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #5,594 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #9,057 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #8,755 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #9,652 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,938 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #8,922 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #9,712 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #14,245 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #8,129 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #11,959 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,847 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #6,320 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,093 | 6 | 0.0004% |
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 Yarrow 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 are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Yarrow's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yarrow's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.