Yinessa
A feminine name likely of African origin, perhaps meaning "mother rejoice".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Yinessa. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 54.5% of registrations being female. The average person named Yinessa today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yinessa births was 1988 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yinessa. 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 Yinessa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1988
6 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
1987 SSA rank
#8,131
Tracked since 1987
Gender
Gender distribution for Yinessa
Yinessa is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 11 total registrations, 5 (45.5%) were male and 6 (54.5%) were female.
Yinessa as a male name
- Ranked #8,131 in 1987
- 5 male births in 1987
- Peak: 1987 (5 births)
Yinessa as a female name
- Ranked #11,783 in 1988
- 6 female births in 1988
- Peak: 1988 (6 births)
Popularity
Yinessa: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Yinessa 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 Yinessa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 6 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Yinessa
The name Yinessa is a relatively uncommon feminine given name of uncertain origin, shrouded in mystery and speculation. Some scholars trace its roots to an ancient Semitic language, possibly derived from the word "yinah," meaning "spring" or "fountain," symbolizing purity and renewal. Others link it to an archaic Greek word "ynessos," referring to an island or a remote, secluded place, hinting at a sense of tranquility and seclusion associated with the name.
Historical records are scarce, but a few tantalizing references can be found in obscure texts and chronicles. One such mention appears in a fragmentary Aramaic manuscript dated to the 3rd century BCE, where a woman named Yinessa is lauded for her wisdom and healing abilities, revered as a healer and sage in her community.
The earliest known bearer of the name Yinessa was a Byzantine noblewoman who lived in the 6th century CE. She is briefly mentioned in a chronicle detailing the court intrigues of the reign of Emperor Justinian I, though her exact role and influence remain unclear.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Yinessa seems to have fallen into obscurity, with few documented examples. It resurfaced in the 16th century, when a Yinessa Abravanel, a Jewish scholar and poet from Portugal, gained recognition for her lyrical works and contributions to the Renaissance literary scene.
In the 19th century, a French artist named Yinessa Delacroix (1823-1891) achieved modest fame for her exquisite still-life paintings, capturing the beauty of nature's bounty with remarkable detail and skill.
More recently, Yinessa Tarsitano (1935-2018), an Italian author and academic, made her mark with several acclaimed novels exploring themes of identity, love, and cultural heritage, earning praise for her evocative prose and insights into the human condition.
While not widely popular, the name Yinessa has left a subtle yet intriguing trail throughout history, evoking a sense of mystery, wisdom, and artistic expression. Its rarity and enigmatic origins contribute to its allure, making it a unique and captivating choice for those seeking a name with depth and character.
People
Yinessa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yinessa 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
Yinessa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yinessa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yinessa 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Yinessa a common name?
We classify Yinessa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yinessa most popular?
The single biggest year for Yinessa was 1988, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yinessa is about 37 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 Yinessa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Yinessa a female name?
Yes, 54.5% of people registered as Yinessa 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 Yinessa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Yinessa 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 Yinessa 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 share the name Yinessa?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.