The name Yanni first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1992:
- 1994: 25 baby boys and 6 baby girls named Yanni
- 1993: 15 baby boys and 9 baby girls named Yanni
- 1992: 6 baby boys named Yanni [debut]
- 1991: unlisted
- 1990: unlisted
Where did it come from?
Greek keyboardist/composer Yanni (pronounced YAH-nee), whose Grammy-nominated eighth album, Dare to Dream (1992), was one of his most successful.
Dare to Dream included the song “Aria,” which was originally written for the now-classic British Airways “Face” commercial [vid] of 1989. (The mega-popular Yanni Live at the Acropolis didn’t come out until 1994.)
Yanni was born Yiannis Chryssomallis in Kalamata, Greece, in 1953. The Greek name Yiannis is the equivalent of the English name John; both names can be traced back to the Hebrew name Yochanan, which means “Yahweh is gracious.”
What are your thoughts on the baby name Yanni?
Sources: Behind the Name, Yanni – Wikipedia
P.S. Enya is another New Age baby name…