Total births
1,503
Boys' name · since 1894
Yancey
Since 1894, U.S. Social Security records show 1,503 babies named Yancey, peaking in 1971. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,503
- total births
- 1894–2020
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
1,503 boys have been named Yancey since 1894, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Yancey has been recorded 1,503 times among boys since 1894, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1894 to 2020.
- 1,503 total births
- 1894–2020 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 26% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,503 boys have been named Yancey since 1894, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 2020.
- 1,503
- total births
- 1894–2020
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Yancey was born in this single decade.
1971
Single peak year
48 babies were named Yancey in 1971 - its busiest year on record.
Yancey's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Yancey's SSA record in two at 1968 and the more recent half accounts for 66% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 34%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1894, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1971 peak of 48, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Yancey at a glance
Last recorded 2020Peak year
1971
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1894
Yancey popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1894–2020
- Peak year (1971)
- 48
- Annual births at peak, across 127 years of records
Yancey popularity over time - girls
34 total births recorded since 1975 (Yancey as girls' name)
Yancey by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Yancey's strongest decade.
385 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Yancey births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 56
1910s
56 births
- 1920s 73
1920s
73 births
- 1930s 45
1930s
45 births
- 1940s 62
1940s
62 births
- 1950s 69
1950s
69 births
- 1960s
1960s
260 births
- 1970s
1970s
385 births
- 1980s
1980s
219 births
- 1990s
1990s
169 births
- 2000s 112
2000s
112 births
- 2010s 36
2010s
36 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 385 births (26% of all-time use).
How Yancey compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Yancey's total volume
Yancey vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Yancey by state
Where Yancey concentrates geographically, total births since 1894
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 23 | 1.5% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 19 | 1.3% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 16 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #5 | California | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #6 | Florida | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.3% |
Texas share of Yancey's total US births 1.5%
Even split
23 of 1,503 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Yancey appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Yancey? ▼
Since 1894, Social Security records show 1,503 babies named Yancey. The most recent recorded year was 2020. Its busiest year on record was 1971, with 48 births.
When was Yancey most popular? ▼
Yancey was most popular in the 1970s decade with 385 total births. The single peak year was 1971.
Where is Yancey most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Yancey are Texas (23 births), Georgia (19 births), Alabama (16 births).
How long has the name Yancey been used? ▼
Records for Yancey go back to 1894, giving 127 years of history through 2020.
What names are similar to Yancey? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Yandel, Yancy, Yannick, Yan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Yancey's data
- Yancey's decade-level peak was the 1970s (385 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Yanceys (23 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Yancey
Nearby Names Like Yancey
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Yancey
Yandel Boy
#3323 3,739 births
Yancy Boy
2,433 births
Yannick Boy
#5322 1,073 births
Yan Boy
#2891 986 births
Yanni Boy
#5549 781 births
Compare Yancey side by side: Yancey vs Yandel Yancey vs Yancy Yancey vs Yannick
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1894–2020 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Yancey: Baby Name Since 1894 - 1,503 Births, Peak 1971." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/yancey. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Yancey draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.