NameCensus.
Very Rare

Yanilen

Of Latin origin, meaning "determined one" or "purposeful".

Name Census estimates that about 81 living Americans carry the first name Yanilen. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Yanilen today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yanilen births was 2012 (35 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Yanilen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.

Key insights

  • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Yanilen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

81

~ 1 in 4,231,535 Americans

Peak year

2012

35 babies that year

Average age

14

years old

2015 SSA rank

#16,323

Tracked since 2011

Popularity

Yanilen: popularity over time

Babies born per year

091826352015

Decades

Yanilen by decade

The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Yanilen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2010s08282

Geography

Where Yanilens live

Origin

Meaning and history of Yanilen

The name Yanilen is of ancient Persian origin, believed to have been derived from the combination of the Avestan words "yana" meaning "to go" and "lena" meaning "to remain." This suggests that the name may have originally symbolized the concept of movement and permanence, or perhaps the duality of transitioning between states.

The earliest known references to the name Yanilen can be traced back to the Achaemenid Empire, which ruled over much of the ancient Persian territories from around 550 BCE to 330 BCE. During this time, the name was likely used among the noble classes and may have been associated with ideals of strength, endurance, and perseverance.

In the 5th century BCE, a Persian warrior named Yanilen is mentioned in the historical records of the Greek historian Herodotus. Herodotus described Yanilen as a brave and skilled fighter who participated in the Battle of Thermopylae against the Greek forces. Unfortunately, no additional details about this individual's life or exploits have been preserved.

Fast forward to the 10th century CE, and we find a renowned Persian scholar and philosopher named Yanilen al-Kindi. Al-Kindi made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and metaphysics, and was highly regarded among the intellectual elite of the Islamic Golden Age. His works on optics and the nature of light were particularly influential and laid the foundations for future scientific discoveries.

In the 13th century, a Persian poet and mystic named Yanilen Rumi gained widespread acclaim for his spiritual teachings and poetic works, which celebrated divine love and the unity of all beings. Rumi's poetry, particularly his masterpiece "Masnavi," has endured as a timeless classic and has been widely translated and studied across the globe.

During the 16th century, a Persian architect named Yanilen Isfahani was responsible for designing and constructing some of the most magnificent mosques and palaces in the city of Isfahan, which was the capital of the Safavid Empire at the time. Isfahani's architectural style was renowned for its intricate tilework, ornate domes, and elegant proportions, and his creations continue to be admired for their beauty and craftsmanship.

While the name Yanilen has roots in ancient Persian culture, its use and significance have evolved over time, reflecting the rich tapestry of history and the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the region. Today, the name remains a testament to the enduring legacy of the Persian people and their contributions to various fields of human endeavor.

People

Yanilen + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Yanilen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.

Related

Other names starting with Y

Other first names starting with Y with a similar number of bearers.

FAQ

Yanilen: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Yanilen?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 81 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yanilen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,231,535 US residents.

Is Yanilen a common name?

We classify Yanilen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 82 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Yanilen most popular?

The single biggest year for Yanilen was 2012, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yanilen is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

What does the SSA popularity chart show?

The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Yanilen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Yanilen a female name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yanilen in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.

Is Yanilen still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Yanilen in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.

Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?

Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Yanilen can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.

Where does this data come from?

First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.

Does every first name have Census demographic data?

No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.

How many people have Yanilen as a first name?

For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.

N
Name Census
namecensus.com

There are 81 people

with the first name

Yanilen

Look up any American name

Share this result