UK boy's name
Yifan
A gender-neutral Chinese name meaning "abundance" or "good harvest".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Yifan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yifan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3895, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 4 births.
This profile covers 4 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2014 to 2014. 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.
Yifan is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 4 living people in the UK are called Yifan. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yifan ranked #3895 for boys in England and Wales in 2014, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 4 boys were registered as Yifan.
- • About 4 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yifan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3895
2014
Births in 2014
4
Latest year
Peak year
2014
4 births
Estimated living
4
2026
Meaning
What does Yifan mean?
The given name Yifan has its roots in Chinese culture and language. It is a combination of the Chinese characters 'Yi' (意) meaning 'idea' or 'meaning', and 'Fan' (范) meaning 'model' or 'example'. The name can be interpreted as 'an exemplary idea' or 'a model of meaning'.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Yifan can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) in ancient China. During this period, the name was associated with scholars and intellectuals who were renowned for their knowledge and wisdom.
In ancient Chinese literature, the name Yifan appears in several philosophical texts and historical records. One notable example is the 'Analects of Confucius', where a disciple named Yifan is mentioned as a student of the great philosopher Confucius.
Throughout Chinese history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Yifan. One of the earliest recorded was Yifan Zhang (603-668 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher during the Tang Dynasty. Another notable figure was Yifan Li (1245-1322), a prominent Neo-Confucian scholar and philosopher during the Yuan Dynasty.
Moving forward in time, Yifan Wang (1699-1781) was a celebrated landscape painter and calligrapher during the Qing Dynasty. His works are highly regarded and can be found in various museums and collections around the world.
In more recent times, Yifan Xu (1837-1916) was a prominent Chinese diplomat and statesman who played a crucial role in the reform movements of the late Qing Dynasty. He is remembered for his efforts to modernize China and promote international relations.
Lastly, Yifan Li (1915-2005) was a respected archaeologist and anthropologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Chinese civilizations. His research and excavations shed light on the rich cultural heritage of China, particularly during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Yifan throughout Chinese history, but the name has undoubtedly been borne by many more individuals who have left their mark in various fields and disciplines.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Yifan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yifan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3895 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Yifan
- 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
Yifan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yifan in the UK right now?
In 2014, Yifan was ranked #3895 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Yifan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 4 babies registered as Yifan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yifan?
A gender-neutral Chinese name meaning "abundance" or "good harvest".
How many people are called Yifan in the UK?
A total of 4 babies have been registered as Yifan across the 1 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.