UK girl's name
Yiyi
A diminutive Chinese name derived from the sound of a baby's laughter.
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.
Yiyi is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Yiyi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5493, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 3 births.
This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2013 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Yiyi. 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
- • Yiyi ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 3 girls were registered as Yiyi.
- • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yiyi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5493
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2013
3 births
Estimated living
9
2026
Meaning
What does Yiyi mean?
The given name Yiyi has its origins traced back to the Chinese language and culture. It is believed to have emerged during the ancient dynasties of China, potentially as early as the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). The name is a repetition of the Chinese character "yi," which carries various meanings such as "one," "single," or "unity."
In ancient Chinese philosophy and folklore, the concept of "one" or "unity" held significant symbolic importance. It represented the fundamental principle of harmony, balance, and the interconnectedness of all things. As a result, names containing the character "yi" were often given to children as a way to bestow blessings of unity, harmony, and completeness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yiyi can be found in the historical annals of the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD). During this period, a scholar and poet named Yiyi Bai (629–705 AD) gained recognition for his literary works and contributions to the development of the Chinese poetic form known as "ci."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Yiyi. One such figure was Yiyi Zhang (1033–1107 AD), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher during the Song Dynasty. His writings and teachings on Confucian ethics and moral cultivation had a lasting impact on Chinese intellectual discourse.
In more recent times, Yiyi Lu (1964–present) is a celebrated Chinese film director and screenwriter. Her critically acclaimed works, such as "The Story of Xinghua" (1993) and "Shanghai Triad" (1995), have garnered international acclaim and numerous awards.
Another notable bearer of the name was Yiyi Wang (1923–2015), a prominent Chinese physicist and academic. He made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics and served as the president of the University of Science and Technology of China from 1984 to 1988.
Yiyi Huang (1928–2018) was a renowned Chinese painter and calligrapher. Her vibrant and expressive works, which blended traditional Chinese techniques with contemporary styles, earned her recognition both within China and abroad.
While the name Yiyi has its roots in Chinese culture, it has also been adopted and embraced by individuals across various regions and ethnicities, each adding their own unique cultural and personal significance to the name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yiyi over time
The chart below shows babies named Yiyi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 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 Yiyi, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yiyi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yiyi 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 | #5493 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5667 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Yiyi
- Yasmin 10,052
- Yusra 2,725
- Yasmine 2,474
- Yara 1,487
- Yazmin 806
- Yumna 601
- Yasmeen 527
- Yasmina 518
- Yasemin 513
- Yana 452
- Yvie 377
- Yvonne 368
FAQ
Yiyi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yiyi in the UK right now?
In 2020, Yiyi was ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Yiyi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 3 babies registered as Yiyi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yiyi?
A diminutive Chinese name derived from the sound of a baby's laughter.
How many people are called Yiyi in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Yiyi across the 3 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.