NameCensus.
Very Rare

Yker

A masculine name of unknown origin and uncertain meaning.

Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Yker. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Yker today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yker births was 2011 (7 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Yker. 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 Yker. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

12

~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans

Peak year

2011

7 babies that year

Average age

15

years old

2012 SSA rank

#14,176

Tracked since 2011

Popularity

Yker: popularity over time

Babies born per year

02457

Decades

Yker 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 Yker during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2010s12012

Origin

Meaning and history of Yker

The given name Yker has its origins rooted in ancient Mesopotamian culture, specifically in the Akkadian language spoken in the region during the third millennium BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Akkadian word "ikeru," which translates to "farmer" or "cultivator of the land." This suggests that the name was initially borne by individuals who were closely tied to agricultural practices and the nurturing of crops, a vital occupation in the fertile regions along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yker can be traced back to cuneiform inscriptions found on clay tablets from the ancient city of Ur, dated around 2300 BCE. These inscriptions mention a high-ranking official named Yker-ili, whose name translates to "Yker is my god." This provides evidence that the name was in use during the Sumerian civilization and held significance within the religious and political spheres of the time.

In later years, the name Yker appears to have spread beyond the confines of ancient Mesopotamia, as evidenced by its presence in various historical records and texts. A notable mention can be found in the Aramaic inscriptions of the 6th century BCE, which reference a scribe named Yker-bar-Nabu, suggesting that the name had gained popularity among the Aramaic-speaking populations of the region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Yker, though records of their lives and accomplishments are often scarce. One such figure is Yker of Antioch, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century CE and was executed for his refusal to renounce his faith during the Roman persecutions. His unwavering devotion earned him a place in the annals of early Christian history and the veneration of the Church.

Another historical figure bearing the name Yker was a renowned scholar and physician who lived in the 9th century CE during the Islamic Golden Age. Hailing from Baghdad, Yker ibn Abi Nasr al-Kindi made significant contributions to the fields of medicine, philosophy, and mathematics, and his writings were widely studied and disseminated throughout the medieval Islamic world.

In the realm of literature, the name Yker is associated with a 12th-century Persian poet and mystic known as Yker Balkhi. His poetic works, infused with Sufi spirituality, were widely celebrated and influenced the development of Persian literature during the medieval period.

Another notable figure was Yker al-Salihi, a 13th-century Arab historian and writer from Damascus. His comprehensive historical accounts, including the "History of the Ayyubid Dynasty," provided invaluable insights into the political and social landscape of the region during that era.

While the name Yker may have waned in popularity over the centuries, its historical significance and connection to ancient civilizations and cultures remain a fascinating testament to the enduring legacy of names and their ability to transcend time and geography.

People

Yker + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Yker 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

Yker: questions and answers

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

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yker 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 28,562,862 US residents.

Is Yker a common name?

We classify Yker as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Yker most popular?

The single biggest year for Yker was 2011, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yker is about 15 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 Yker in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Yker a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yker 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.

Is Yker still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Yker 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 Yker 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 are named Yker?

Find out how many people share the name Yker on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.

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There are 12 people

with the first name

Yker

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