Gracious; rock; cliff
In Chinese contexts, Yan often refers to a rock or cliff, symbolizing stability. As a Slavic or Western variant of Jan or John, it carries the Hebrew meaning of 'God is gracious.' It is a concise, cross-cultural name found in various linguistic traditions.
Less common today
Yan isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #2,378 in 2025.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
Influential Chinese scholar and translator
Professional baseball catcher
Professional snooker player
Award-winning Chinese novelist
