Yanki
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- YAN-kee
- Origin
- Hebrew
Yanki is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “holder of the heel”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Yanki mean?
Hebrew: spelling of Yanky; Yiddish pet form of Yaakov (Jacob)
“holder of the heel”
A Yiddish diminutive of Yaakov, related to Yankel, used mainly in Orthodox Jewish families.
Meaning borrowed from Yanky.
Is Yanki a girl's or a boy's name?
Yanki is a boys' name.
How popular is Yanki in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2020, with 4 boys.
Yanki in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | #5,198 |
| 2023 | 3 | #5,193 |
| 2022 | 3 | #5,017 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 4 | #4,025 |
Names like Yanki
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Avi, Ravi, Prithvi, Yuvraj, Rishi, Kavi, Ivaan, Yuvaan, Davi, Yusha, Aarav, Shivansh
Names related to Yanki
More Hebrew names
Noah, Isabella, Elijah, James, Jack, Mia, Ava, Jude, Ezra, Benjamin, Isaac, Jacob, Ethan, Daniel, Samuel, Elias
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Yanki: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/yanki, updated 20 October 2026.