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Home › Baby Names Directory › Yana

Yana

♀ Girl

Pronounced YA-nuh /ˈja.nə/Medium

Meaning: God is gracious (Slavic form of Jana/Joanna)Medium

In 30 seconds: Yana is a Slavic girl's name meaning 'God is gracious', a form of Jana or Joanna.
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Origin MediumBulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian
MeaningGod is gracious (Slavic form of Jana/Joanna)
U.S. rank (2025)#2409 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births75 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,670

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202419552025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Yana is the Slavic version of Jana and Joanna, and it carries their meaning, 'God is gracious'. Across Slavic-speaking regions it is a common, everyday name, valued for its clean two-syllable shape. It connects to a wide network of related forms, including Zhanna and the fuller Joanna.

The name is crisp and unfussy, opening on a bright Y that gives it a friendly sound. Bearers include the model Yana Gupta, born in 1979, and the manga artist Yana Toboso, born in 1984.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Yana is God is gracious, as a Slavic feminine form of Jan (John) from the Hebrew Yochanan, and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Yana — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

ShavonShavonneJoneZhannaJoanna

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Yana Gupta (1979–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Yana Toboso (1984–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Yana…

Joanna— the fuller name Yana derives from, with the same 'God is gracious' meaning
Jana— the form Yana is the Slavic version of
Yuliana— lands in the same popularity range
Yelena— lands in the same popularity range
Tatiana— shares Yana's Russian roots

Explore names like Yana

By themerussianbulgarian
By meaningGod / DivineGrace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Yana mean?

Yana is usually explained as meaning 'God is gracious', a Slavic feminine form of Jan (John) from the Hebrew Yochanan, and is most often linked with Bulgarian, Russian, and Ukrainian tradition.

How do you pronounce Yana?

It's commonly said YA-nuh /ˈja.nə/.

Is Yana a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Yana is used as a girl name.

How popular is Yana?

In 2024, Yana ranked #1890 in the U.S. for girls, with 106 births recorded.

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