What does Lan mean?
Lan is commonly the character 兰, “orchid,” a flower of refinement.
What does Yue mean?
Yue is commonly the character 月, “moon.”
Lan vs Yue
Which is more popular?
Yue is more popular than Lan today: about 11 US babies were given the name Yue in 2025, compared with 0 named Lan.
| Lan | Yue | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Orchid (兰) | Moon (月) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | LAHN | yweh |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1972 | 2002 |
| Peak year | 1982 (47) | 2021 (15) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 11 |
| Trend | Vintage | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Lan
Yue
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Lan | Yue |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 0 | 70 |
| 2010s | 61 | 67 |
| 2000s | 92 | 5 |
| 1990s | 183 | 0 |
| 1980s | 336 | 0 |
| 1970s | 97 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lan or Yue more popular?
Yue is more popular than Lan today: about 11 US babies were given the name Yue in 2025, compared with 0 named Lan.
What is the difference between Lan and Yue?
Lan means Orchid (兰) (Chinese origin), while Yue means Moon (月) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Lan or Yue?
In US records, Lan first appears in 1972 and Yue in 2002, so Lan has the longer recorded history.