Yashima
An androgynous name of Japanese origin meaning "fortunate island".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Yashima. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Yashima today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yashima births was 1975 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yashima. 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 Yashima. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1975
6 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
1975 SSA rank
#9,058
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Yashima: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Yashima 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 Yashima during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Yashima
The given name Yashima has its origins in Japanese culture, where it was used as a masculine name. The name is believed to have derived from the Japanese words "yashi" meaning palm tree and "ma" meaning true or genuine, suggesting a possible meaning of "true palm tree" or "genuine palm tree."
In ancient Japanese literature and historical records, the name Yashima can be found referenced as early as the 8th century AD. It is mentioned in some Buddhist texts and chronicles of that era, indicating its usage during the Nara period of Japanese history.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Yashima was Yashima no Kiyohiro, a Japanese samurai and military commander who lived in the late 12th century. He served under the famous shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo and played a significant role in the Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira clans.
Another notable figure with the name Yashima was Yashima Gakutoku, a Japanese scholar and poet who lived from 1786 to 1868. He was a prominent figure during the late Edo period and contributed to the development of Japanese literature and poetry.
In the 19th century, Yashima Yoshito was a Japanese samurai and military leader who played a crucial role in the Boshin War during the Bakumatsu period. He was born in 1827 and fought against the imperial forces, eventually surrendering in 1868.
Moving forward to the 20th century, Yashima Taro was a Japanese novelist and essayist who lived from 1892 to 1973. He is best known for his works that explored themes of cultural identity and the experiences of Japanese immigrants in the United States.
Lastly, Yashima Shiro was a Japanese artist and children's book illustrator who lived from 1910 to 1989. He is renowned for his vibrant illustrations and contributions to children's literature, particularly for his book "Crow Boy," which won the prestigious Caldecott Honor in 1956.
While the name Yashima may have evolved and been used in different contexts over the centuries, its Japanese roots and the historical figures who bore this name have left a lasting impact on various aspects of Japanese culture and society.
People
Yashima + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yashima 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
Yashima: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yashima?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yashima 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Yashima a common name?
We classify Yashima as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yashima most popular?
The single biggest year for Yashima was 1975, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yashima is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Yashima a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yashima 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.
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.