Yaleska
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly from Slavic roots.
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Yaleska. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Yaleska today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yaleska births was 2006 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yaleska. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Yaleska. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
2006
6 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2010 SSA rank
#19,707
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Yaleska: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yaleska from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Yaleska remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yaleska by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Yaleska during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yaleska
The name Yaleska is believed to have its origins in the Caribbean region, particularly in the Dominican Republic. It is a variation of the Spanish name Yalesa, which is derived from the Hebrew name Yael, meaning "mountain goat" or "ibex."
Yaleska is a relatively modern name, with no known historical references or appearances in ancient texts or religious scriptures. The earliest recorded usage of the name can be traced back to the late 20th century in the Dominican Republic.
Despite its relatively recent emergence, a few notable individuals have borne the name Yaleska throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances is Yaleska Santos, a Dominican writer and poet born in 1975. Her works explore themes of identity, immigration, and the Caribbean experience.
Another notable Yaleska is Yaleska Rosario, a Puerto Rican professional boxer born in 1988. She has held multiple world titles in the lightweight and super lightweight divisions and is considered one of the most accomplished female boxers of her generation.
In the field of entertainment, Yaleska Menendez is a Cuban-American actress and model born in 1988. She has appeared in various television shows and films, including roles in "The Night Shift" and "Ride Along 2."
Yaleska Polanco is a Dominican-American social media influencer and entrepreneur born in 1991. She has gained a significant following for her lifestyle content and has launched her own clothing line and beauty products.
Lastly, Yaleska Perez is a Mexican singer and songwriter born in 1988. She rose to prominence as a member of the Mexican pop group Eme 15 and has since pursued a successful solo career in Latin music.
While the name Yaleska is still relatively uncommon, its usage has increased in recent decades, particularly in Latin American countries and among Hispanic communities in the United States. Its melodic sound and unique spelling have contributed to its appeal as a modern and distinctive name choice.
People
Yaleska + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yaleska as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Y
Other first names starting with Y with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Yaleska: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yaleska?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yaleska going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Yaleska a common name?
We classify Yaleska as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yaleska most popular?
The single biggest year for Yaleska was 2006, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yaleska is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Yaleska in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Yaleska a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yaleska in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Yaleska still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Yaleska in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Yaleska can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Yaleska?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.