Ylonda
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly an invented name.
Name Census estimates that about 237 living Americans carry the first name Ylonda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ylonda today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ylonda births was 1970 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ylonda. 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
237
~ 1 in 1,446,221 Americans
Peak year
1970
21 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1983 SSA rank
#10,264
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Ylonda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ylonda from the 1950s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 134 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ylonda 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 Ylonda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ylondas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ylonda
The name Ylonda has its origins in the Yenish language, spoken by nomadic groups in Central Europe, particularly in Switzerland, southern Germany, and parts of Austria. The Yenish people, also known as the Jenische or Sinti, have a long history dating back to the Middle Ages, and their language is a unique blend of various German dialects with elements of Romani.
The name Ylonda is derived from the Yenish word "ylond," which means "wanderer" or "traveler." This reflects the nomadic lifestyle of the Yenish people, who traveled from place to place, often working as traders, performers, or artisans. The name Ylonda was traditionally given to baby girls born into these traveling communities, serving as a reminder of their cultural heritage and way of life.
While the name Ylonda has its roots in the Yenish language, it has also been documented in various historical records and texts throughout the centuries. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a 16th-century manuscript from the Swiss canton of Bern, where a Yenish woman named Ylonda is mentioned as a resident of a local village.
As the Yenish people dispersed across Central Europe, the name Ylonda also gained popularity in other regions. In the 17th century, there are records of a Ylonda Müller, a Yenish woman from Bavaria, who was known for her skill in fortune-telling and herbal remedies.
During the 18th century, the name Ylonda was adopted by some non-Yenish families, particularly in parts of Austria and southern Germany. One notable figure from this period was Ylonda von Stein (1742-1817), a German noblewoman and patron of the arts, who hosted literary salons and supported the works of writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
In the 19th century, the name Ylonda gained further recognition with the publication of the novel "Die Ylonda" by the German author Karl May (1842-1912). The book tells the story of a young Yenish woman named Ylonda and her adventures across Europe, providing a glimpse into the Yenish culture and traditions.
Another famous bearer of the name was Ylonda Hofstätter (1885-1964), an Austrian painter and illustrator known for her vibrant depictions of Yenish life and landscapes. Her works are considered important representations of the Yenish culture and have been exhibited in galleries across Europe.
While the name Ylonda has its roots in the Yenish language and culture, it has transcended its origins and gained recognition worldwide, particularly in recent decades. However, it remains a unique and distinctive name, carrying with it a rich history and connection to the wandering spirit of the Yenish people.
People
Ylonda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ylonda 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
Ylonda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ylonda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 237 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ylonda 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 1,446,221 US residents.
Is Ylonda a common name?
We classify Ylonda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 274 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ylonda most popular?
The single biggest year for Ylonda was 1970, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ylonda is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ylonda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ylonda 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.