Yanis

♂ Boy

Pronounced YAH-nis /ˈjɑː.nɪs/High

Meaning: God is gracious; Greek form of John (Ioannis/Yannis), from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious)High

In 30 seconds: The Greek short form of Ioannis (John) meaning 'God is gracious.' In Greece, Yanis/Yannis is an extremely common name — like John in English-speaking countries. Associated with economist Yanis Varoufakis, Greece's provocative finance minister.

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Origin HighGreek, Hebrew

MeaningGod is gracious; Greek form of John (Ioannis/Yannis), from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious)

U.S. rank (2025)#2568 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births52 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2021

Total births (all-time)≈ 673

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Yanis is the Greek short form of Ioannis (John), from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious). In Greece, Yannis/Yanis is one of the most common masculine names — the Greek equivalent of John in English-speaking countries. It is also the name-day name for a large portion of Greek men.

Yanis ranked #2433 for boys in 2024. It is used in Greek American communities and among parents drawn to the crisp two-syllable Greek form of John.

Did you know? Yanis Varoufakis (born 1961), Greece's finance minister during the 2015 debt crisis, became globally famous for his leather jacket-wearing, motorcycle-riding defiance of European austerity — and his book 'Adults in the Room' about the negotiations became a bestseller in 30 languages.

Overall data confidence 94%

Behind the Name — Yanis — Greek/Hebrew etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

YannisIoannis

Nicknames

Yan

Famous Bearers

★Yanis Varoufakis (1961–present)
Greek economist and politician who served as Finance Minister of Greece during the 2015 debt crisis. Known for his unconventional style and book Adults in the Room.

If you like Yanis…

Nikolas— Greek form of Nicholas with the same Greek heritage

Yunis— a similarly popular pick

Giannis— echoes that soft -is sound

Ellis— echoes that soft -is sound

Davis— a fellow Hebrew choice

Explore names like Yanis

By themehebrew greek two-syllable john-family

By meaningGod / Divine Grace

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Yanis mean?

Yanis means 'God is gracious,' the Greek short form of Ioannis (John), from Hebrew Yohanan.

How do you pronounce Yanis?

It's said YAH-nis /ˈjɑː.nɪs/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Yanis a boy or girl name?

Yanis is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Yanis?

Yanis ranked #2433 for U.S. boys in 2024.