Yonnis
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God has been gracious".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Yonnis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Yonnis today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yonnis births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yonnis. 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 Yonnis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2022 SSA rank
#14,267
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Yonnis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yonnis from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yonnis 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 Yonnis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yonnis
The given name Yonnis is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek language, with roots that can be traced back to the Byzantine era. Its earliest known spelling was "Ioannis," which was derived from the Hebrew name "Yochanan," meaning "Yahweh is gracious."
During the Byzantine period, Ioannis was a popular name among Greek-speaking Christians, particularly in regions such as Anatolia and the Balkans. It was often used as a translation of the Hebrew name John, which was borne by several important biblical figures, including John the Baptist and the apostle John.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Ioannis can be found in the writings of the 4th-century Church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, who referred to several individuals bearing this name. Additionally, the name appears in various Byzantine chronicles and hagiographies, indicating its widespread use among the Christian population of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Throughout the centuries, the name Ioannis underwent various linguistic transformations, leading to the emergence of different spellings and variations. One such variation is Yonnis, which is believed to have originated in regions where Greek and Turkish cultures intersected, such as parts of modern-day Turkey and the Balkans.
Among the notable historical figures who bore the name Yonnis or its variations, one can mention:
1. Yonnis Chrysostomou (c. 349-407), a renowned Church Father and Archbishop of Constantinople, known for his eloquent preaching and commentary on the Bible.
2. Yonnis Tzimiskes (c. 925-976), a Byzantine emperor who reigned from 969 to 976 and is credited with expanding the empire's territories and strengthening its military.
3. Yonnis Kantakouzenos (c. 1292-1383), a Byzantine emperor who ruled from 1347 to 1354 and was also a notable historian and scholar.
4. Yonnis Laskaris (c. 1200-1260), a Byzantine noble and military leader who played a significant role in the establishment of the Empire of Nicaea after the sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.
5. Yonnis Kourkouas (c. 925-976), a renowned Byzantine general and military strategist who led successful campaigns against the Arabs and Bulgarians, securing the empire's eastern and northern frontiers.
While the name Yonnis may not be as widely used in modern times, its historical significance and connections to the Byzantine and Greek Christian heritage remain an integral part of its legacy.
People
Yonnis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yonnis 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
Yonnis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yonnis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yonnis 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Yonnis a common name?
We classify Yonnis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yonnis most popular?
The single biggest year for Yonnis was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yonnis is about 6 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 Yonnis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Yonnis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yonnis 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 Yonnis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Yonnis 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 Yonnis 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 have the name Yonnis?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.