Yeng
A feminine name of Thai origin meaning "the full moon".
Name Census estimates that about 507 living Americans carry the first name Yeng. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 81.3% of registrations being male. The average person named Yeng today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yeng births was 1990 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yeng. 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
507
~ 1 in 676,044 Americans
Peak year
1990
43 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
2009 SSA rank
#10,812
Tracked since 1980
Gender
Gender distribution for Yeng
Yeng leans heavily male at 81.3% of total registrations, but 98 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Yeng as a male name
- Ranked #14,448 in 2009
- 5 male births in 2009
- Peak: 1993 (35 births)
Yeng as a female name
- Ranked #10,812 in 1997
- 8 female births in 1997
- Peak: 1992 (13 births)
Popularity
Yeng: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yeng from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 281 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yeng 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 Yeng during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Yengs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Minnesota, Wisconsin recorded the most babies named Yeng, while Wisconsin, Minnesota, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 91 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yeng
The given name Yeng has its origins in the ancient Khmer language, which was spoken in the region now known as Cambodia. This name dates back to the Angkorian period, which spanned from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Yeng is believed to be derived from the Khmer word "yeung," which means "gold" or "golden."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yeng can be found in the inscriptions of the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom, which was constructed in the late 12th or early 13th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. The name was often given to individuals of high social status or nobility, reflecting the association with precious metals and wealth.
In the 14th century, a Buddhist monk named Yeng Chau was renowned for his scholarly contributions to the Khmer language and literature. He is credited with translating several Sanskrit texts into Khmer, preserving significant aspects of the culture and religion.
During the 15th century, Yeng Sar was a prominent military leader who played a crucial role in defending the Khmer Empire against Siamese invasions. His bravery and strategic prowess earned him a place in the chronicles of Khmer history.
In the 16th century, Yeng Phan was a celebrated Khmer poet and philosopher. His works explored the complexities of human existence and the pursuit of enlightenment, leaving a lasting impact on the literary traditions of the region.
Another notable figure with the name Yeng was Yeng Peng Leang, a 19th century Khmer scholar and diplomat. He was instrumental in establishing diplomatic relations between the Khmer Kingdom and various European powers, contributing to the preservation of Khmer sovereignty during a period of colonial expansion.
While the name Yeng has its roots in ancient Khmer culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and historical periods, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
People
Yeng + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yeng 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
Yeng: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yeng?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 507 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yeng 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 676,044 US residents.
Is Yeng a common name?
We classify Yeng as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 524 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yeng most popular?
The single biggest year for Yeng was 1990, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yeng is about 34 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Yeng a male name?
Yes, 81.3% of people registered as Yeng in the SSA data are male. 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.