Yatzil
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Mayan word "yatz'il" meaning "flower".
Name Census estimates that about 484 living Americans carry the first name Yatzil. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Yatzil today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yatzil births was 2016 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yatzil. 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.
People living today
484
~ 1 in 708,170 Americans
Peak year
2016
56 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,869
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Yatzil: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yatzil from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 339 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Yatzil remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yatzil 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 Yatzil during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Yatzils live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Yatzil, while Illinois, New York, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 56 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yatzil
The given name Yatzil is of Mayan origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient civilization that flourished in parts of what is now Mexico and Central America. The name is derived from the Mayan word "yatz'il," which means "plant" or "to blossom." It is believed to have been used as a name for both males and females in the Mayan culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yatzil can be found in the Dresden Codex, an ancient Mayan book of astrological and astronomical calculations. This suggests that the name was in use during the Late Classic period of Mayan civilization, which spanned from approximately 600 to 900 CE.
In the centuries following the decline of the Mayan civilization, the name Yatzil remained in use among the indigenous populations of the region. It is likely that the name held cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting the reverence for nature and the natural world that was central to Mayan beliefs and traditions.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Yatzil. One of the earliest was Yatzil Ahau (born around 1380 CE), a Mayan ruler and military leader who played a prominent role in the defense of the Mayan city-state of Itzamkanac against Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century.
Another notable figure was Yatzil Cab (1525-1587), a Mayan princess and diplomat who played a crucial role in mediating between the Mayan people and the Spanish authorities during the early years of Spanish colonization in the Yucatán Peninsula.
In the 19th century, Yatzil Ek (1835-1902) was a Mayan scholar and author who made significant contributions to the preservation and study of Mayan language, literature, and culture.
More recently, Yatzil Balam (1915-1998) was a prominent Mayan artist and sculptor whose works celebrated the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Mayan people.
Yatzil Chan (born 1972) is a contemporary Mayan activist and educator who has worked tirelessly to promote the rights and self-determination of indigenous communities in Mexico and Central America.
The name Yatzil continues to be used today, particularly among those of Mayan descent, as a way to honor and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and traditions of this ancient civilization.
People
Yatzil + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yatzil 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
Yatzil: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yatzil?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 484 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yatzil 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 708,170 US residents.
Is Yatzil a common name?
We classify Yatzil as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 488 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yatzil most popular?
The single biggest year for Yatzil was 2016, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yatzil is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Yatzil a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yatzil 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.