Yunqi
A Chinese given name meaning "cloud and felicity".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Yunqi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Yunqi today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yunqi births was 2016 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yunqi. 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 Yunqi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
2016
8 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#9,635
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Yunqi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Yunqi 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 Yunqi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Yunqi
The given name Yunqi has its origins in the Chinese language, specifically Mandarin. The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, a time when the Tang Dynasty was at its peak in China. Yunqi is derived from the combination of two Chinese characters, "yun" meaning "cloud" and "qi" meaning "breath" or "air."
In ancient Chinese philosophy and belief systems, clouds and air were considered essential elements of the natural world, representing the balance between the physical and the spiritual realms. The name Yunqi was often given to children as a symbolic representation of this balance, with the hope that they would live a life filled with harmony and grace.
While the name does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been documented in historical records and genealogical accounts throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Yunqi can be found in the biographical records of the Tang Dynasty, where a scholar and poet by that name was mentioned.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Yunqi. In the 12th century, a renowned calligrapher and painter named Yunqi Xiao left a lasting legacy with his exquisite works of art. During the Ming Dynasty, a prominent military strategist named Yunqi Wang played a crucial role in defending the empire against invaders.
In more recent history, Yunqi Zhang (1898-1976) was a respected educator and advocate for women's rights in China. She dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for girls and promoting gender equality. Another notable figure was Yunqi Liu (1912-1994), a celebrated author and playwright whose works explored the complexities of human relationships and social issues.
One of the most influential individuals with the name Yunqi was a scientist and inventor named Yunqi Chen (1935-2021). He made significant contributions to the field of materials science and was widely recognized for his groundbreaking research on advanced ceramic materials.
People
Yunqi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yunqi 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
Yunqi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yunqi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yunqi 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Yunqi a common name?
We classify Yunqi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yunqi most popular?
The single biggest year for Yunqi was 2016, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yunqi is about 10 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 Yunqi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Yunqi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yunqi 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 Yunqi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Yunqi 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 Yunqi 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 Yunqi?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.