UK name, mostly boys
Yan
A masculine name of Chinese origin meaning "bright" or "sun".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 81 girls.
Yan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Yan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 10 births.
This profile covers 151 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 150 living people in the UK are called Yan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yan ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 10 boys were registered as Yan.
- • Yan is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 150 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 65.1% of Yan registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3254
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2008
10 births
Estimated living
150
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Yan
In England and Wales birth records, Yan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 65.1% of registrations are for boys and 34.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Yan registered for boys
- Ranked #3,254 in 2024
- 6 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2008 (10 births)
Yan registered for girls
- Ranked #5,687 in 2023
- 3 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2009 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Yan mean?
The name Yan has its origins in various cultures and languages across the world. It is a name that has been in use for centuries, with varying spellings and meanings.
In Chinese, the name Yan can be written as 燕, which means "swallow" or "graceful". It is a popular name in China and has been used since ancient times. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Yan can be found in the historical records of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
In Hebrew, the name Yan is derived from the word "Yonatan", which means "gift of God". It has been used as a diminutive form of the name Jonathan. The name Yan has been mentioned in various Jewish religious texts and scriptures.
In Sanskrit, the name Yan is a variant of the name Ayan, which means "path" or "journey". It has been used in Indian culture for centuries and has been mentioned in ancient Hindu texts.
In Japanese, the name Yan is a variant of the name Yuki, which means "snow" or "happiness". It has been used in Japan for generations and has been mentioned in various historical records and literature.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Yan. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Yan Zhitui (531-591), a Chinese scholar and writer during the Northern Qi Dynasty. Another notable figure was Yan Fu (1854-1921), a Chinese scholar and translator who played a significant role in the introduction of Western ideas to China.
In the realm of religion, Yan Huguo (1551-1624) was a prominent Chinese Buddhist monk and calligrapher during the Ming Dynasty. In the field of science, Yan Yuan (1635-1704) was a Chinese mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of mathematics and astronomy.
Yan Xishan (1883-1960) was a Chinese warlord and politician who played a crucial role in the political landscape of China during the early 20th century.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals with the name Yan throughout history, showcasing the diverse cultural and linguistic origins of this name, as well as its enduring presence across various disciplines and eras.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Yan in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Yan, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3647 | 21 | 4 |
| 2010s | #3058 | 56 | 9 |
| 2000s | #2439 | 58 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2423 | 16 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Yan
- Yusuf 11,801
- Yahya 5,758
- Yunus 2,009
- Yaseen 1,799
- Yasin 1,797
- Yuvraj 1,605
- Yaqub 1,517
- Yousef 1,489
- Yousuf 1,454
- Yasir 1,056
- Yash 876
- Youssef 749
FAQ
Yan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Yan was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Yan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 10 babies registered as Yan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yan?
A masculine name of Chinese origin meaning "bright" or "sun".
How many people are called Yan in the UK?
A total of 151 babies have been registered as Yan across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.