Yan is a name of French origin and it means "moon" or "graceful". It is believed to have been derived from the ancient Celtic word "yana", which referred to the moon goddess. The name Yan has been popular in France for centuries, but it has also gained popularity around the world as a unisex name.
The use of the name Yan can be traced back to medieval France, where it was used as a given name for both boys and girls. It is not clear how widely the name was used during this time period, but it appears in various historical documents from the Middle Ages. In some cases, Yan was used as a short form of longer names such as Yannick or Yann.
In more recent times, Yan has become increasingly popular as a unisex given name. In France, for example, it was one of the top 50 most popular boy's names in the early 2000s. The name has also gained popularity outside of France, particularly in English-speaking countries such as the United States and Australia.
Overall, Yan is a unique and distinctive name that has been associated with gracefulness and beauty for centuries. Whether used as a given name or a nickname, it carries with it a sense of elegance and sophistication that makes it a popular choice among parents looking for a special name for their child.
Statistics show that the name Yan has seen varied popularity over the years in the United States, with a total of 99 babies given this name since 1983.
The name Yan first appeared on the birth records in 1983, with five births recorded that year. This number remained consistent for five years until 1997 when there were six births. The following year, 1998, saw a slight increase with seven births.
However, it was not until the year 2000 that Yan started to gain significant popularity, with eleven babies being named Yan that year. This marked a peak in its popularity during this period.
After 2000, the number of births decreased again, ranging from five to seven births per year between 2001 and 2006. There was another spike in 2007 with eight babies being named Yan.
Since then, the popularity of the name has fluctuated, with five births recorded in both 2010 and 2015, followed by a slight increase to six births in 2016, and dropping back down to five births in 2017.