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At a Glance
- Meaning
- One who lived by a gate
- Origin
- English (surname)
- Gender
- Primarily used for boys
- Pronunciation
- YAYTS
Yates comes from an English surname for someone who lived by a gate. You may have heard it explained as "keeper of the gate," but that's a bit of a stretch — the name just marked where a person lived, not a job they had. It's also a name with a long history in U.S. birth records, tracked by the Social Security Administration from 1914 through 2024.
Meaning & Origin of Yates
Meaning: One who lived by a gate.
Origin: English (surname).
A common claim: sometimes glossed as 'keeper of the gate' Actually: The surname described someone who lived near a gate, not necessarily its keeper.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Yates
YAYTSIPA /jeɪts/
Popularity of Yates
Yates hit its highest point in 1923, ranking #2121 with 16 babies given the name that year, and in 2024 it ranked #5866 — also with 16 babies — showing it's held steady as a rare choice for a century rather than surging or fading.
Names Like Yates
These names have followed a similar path to Yates in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Yates mean?
One who lived by a gate. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Yates?
Yates is pronounced YAYTS (IPA: /jeɪts/).
Is Yates a popular name right now?
Yates peaked at #2121 in 1923 and is ranked #5866 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1914–2024.)
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