Yolanda
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "violet flower".
Name Census estimates that about 85,679 living Americans carry the first name Yolanda. It is a predominantly female name (99.5% of registrations). The average person named Yolanda today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yolanda births was 1969 (3,782 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yolanda. 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
- • Although Yolanda is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 537 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • Compared to the 1960s, recent registration numbers for Yolanda have dropped to less than 5% of what they once were.
People living today
86K
~ 1 in 4,000 Americans
Peak year
1969
3,782 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1990 SSA rank
#2,591
Tracked since 1901
Gender
Gender distribution for Yolanda
Out of the 113,400 babies given the name Yolanda since 1880, 99.5% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Yolanda as a male name
- Ranked #5,810 in 1990
- 9 male births in 1990
- Peak: 1968 (24 births)
Yolanda as a female name
- Ranked #2,591 in 2024
- 68 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1969 (3,771 births)
Popularity
Yolanda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yolanda from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 28,565 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yolanda 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 Yolanda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Yolandas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 45 states and territories. Texas, California, New York recorded the most babies named Yolanda, while Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 2,419 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yolanda
The name Yolanda has its roots in the medieval Spanish and Portuguese languages, derived from the Germanic name Yolanda or Iolande. The name's origins can be traced back to the 5th century, when it was likely a fusion of the Germanic elements "iu" (violet flower) and "lant" (land).
In the 12th century, the name gained popularity across Europe, particularly in France and Spain. It is believed to have been introduced to the region by the Normans, who had adopted the name during their settlement in northwestern France.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yolanda can be found in the 12th-century epic poem "Chanson de Roland," which tells the story of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass during the reign of Charlemagne. In the poem, Yolanda is mentioned as a Saracen princess.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Yolanda. In the 13th century, Yolande of Burgundy (1247-1280) was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Arles. Another notable bearer was Yolande of Aragon (1384-1442), who served as the Regent of Anjou and played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained further prominence. Yolande Louise Beatrice of Savoy (1487-1499) was a member of the House of Savoy and the Duchess of Savoy from 1496 until her death. Yolande Martine Gabrielle de Polastron (1749-1793), better known as Madame de Polignac, was a prominent figure at the court of Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution.
In the 20th century, the name Yolanda was popularized by the Italian actress Yolanda Cristina Gigliotti (1920-1966), better known as Yolanda Cristina. Another notable figure was Yolanda Betbeder de Huarte (1901-1997), a Spanish composer and pianist who made significant contributions to the development of modern Spanish music.
Throughout its history, the name Yolanda has maintained its association with nobility and cultural significance, reflecting its rich heritage and diverse roots across Europe.
People
Yolanda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yolanda 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
Yolanda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yolanda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 85,679 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yolanda 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 4,000 US residents.
Is Yolanda a common name?
We classify Yolanda as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 113,400 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yolanda most popular?
The single biggest year for Yolanda was 1969, when 3,782 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yolanda is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Yolanda a female name?
Yes, 99.5% of people registered as Yolanda 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.