UK boy's name
Yannick
A French diminutive form of the name Jean, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan meaning "God is gracious".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Yannick is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yannick popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2682, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 12 births.
This profile covers 178 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2020. 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 58% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 177 living people in the UK are called Yannick. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yannick ranked #2682 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 12 boys were registered as Yannick.
- • About 177 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yannick as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2682
2020
Births in 2020
7
Latest year
Peak year
1997
12 births
Estimated living
177
2026
Meaning
What does Yannick mean?
The given name Yannick has its origins in the ancient Greek language, derived from the name Ioannis, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Graced by God" or "God is gracious". The name was widespread in the Byzantine Empire and later spread to Western Europe through the influence of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The earliest recorded use of the name Yannick can be traced back to the 12th century in France, where it was a diminutive form of the French name Jean, which was derived from the Latin name Iohannes. During this period, the name was particularly popular among the nobility and aristocracy in France.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Yannick was Yannick de Basseville, a French diplomat who lived in the 18th century. He served as the Secretary of the French Legation in Naples and was tragically killed during a riot in Rome in 1793.
Another prominent figure with the name Yannick was Yannick Agnel, a French professional swimmer born in 1992. He won two gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, becoming a national hero in France.
In the realm of classical music, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a Canadian conductor born in 1975, has gained international acclaim. He currently holds the position of Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Yannick Noah, a former professional tennis player from France, was born in 1960. He won the French Open in 1983 and became a prominent figure in the world of sports, particularly in his home country.
Yannick Bellon, a French-born film director and screenwriter, has made significant contributions to the world of cinema. Born in 1924, he is best known for his collaborations with renowned directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.
While the name Yannick has its roots in ancient Greek and has been present in various cultures throughout history, it remains a beloved name in modern times, particularly in French-speaking regions and among those with Greek or Eastern Orthodox heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yannick over time
The chart below shows babies named Yannick registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Yannick, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2020, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yannick by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yannick 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 | #2682 | 7 | 1 |
| 2010s | #2920 | 66 | 9 |
| 2000s | #2207 | 74 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1617 | 31 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Yannick
- 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
Yannick: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yannick in the UK right now?
In 2020, Yannick was ranked #2682 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Yannick most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 12 babies registered as Yannick in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yannick?
A French diminutive form of the name Jean, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan meaning "God is gracious".
How many people are called Yannick in the UK?
A total of 178 babies have been registered as Yannick across the 24 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.