Yanni

♀ Girl

Pronounced YAH-nee /ˈjɑː.ni/Medium

Meaning: A short form of Greek Yannis (Ioannis), the Greek form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'. In Greek use Yanni is a man's name, and the Greek-American musician Yanni made it widely known as such; its use for girls is modern, which we note.Low

In 30 seconds: A Greek short form carrying 'God is gracious': Yanni comes from Yannis (said 'YAH-nee'). Usually a boy's name, which we note.

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Origin MediumGreek

MeaningA short form of Greek Yannis (Ioannis), the Greek form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'. In Greek use Yanni is a man's name, and the Greek-American musician Yanni made it widely known as such; its use for girls is modern, which we note.

U.S. rank (2024)#13374 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2004

Total births (all-time)≈ 271

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

Yanni is a short form of Greek Yannis (Ioannis), the Greek John, from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'. In Greek it is firmly a man's name; in American use it has drifted onto girls, helped by its soft ending and by names like Yanna and Gianna. We note the cross-sex use plainly (said 'YAH-nee').

For girls it appears only rarely in the U.S. Rare, Greek-rooted, and warm.

Did you know? Yanni is the Greek short form of Ioannis — John — and means 'God is gracious'. In Greece it is a man's name, and the U.S. knows it best from the Greek-born musician Yanni. Its use for girls is modern, which we note (said 'YAH-nee').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Yanni — Greek Yannis/Ioannis, from Hebrew Yochanan 'God is gracious'; boy-leaning

Variations

YannaYannieGianni

Nicknames

YanNini

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Yanni…

Gianna— the Italian cousin of the same root

Yanna— the usual girls' form in sound

Nia— a like short, warm pick

Joanna— a similar 'God is gracious' name

Explore names like Yanni

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Yanni mean?

Yanni is a short form of Greek Yannis (Ioannis), the Greek John — 'God is gracious'.

How do you pronounce Yanni?

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

Is Yanni a boy or girl name?

Yanni is used here for a girl, but in Greek it is a man's name — we note the cross-sex use plainly.

How popular is Yanni?

Yanni is a rare name for girls in the U.S., and better known as a boys' name.