Names that start with Y
These 157 Y names run from Yaa to Yvonne, each with its meaning and origin. The most popular in the US in 2025 were Yusuf, Yara and Yahya.
Yamini
Night (Sanskrit)
GirlIndian
Yolotzin
Beloved heart (Nahuatl)
UnisexSpanish
Yazdan
Angel, divinity (Persian). No. 7,173 in the US in 2025, 12 babies.
BoyPersian
Yves
Yew tree (Germanic). No. 5,598 in the US in 2025, 17 babies. Given to both: 35% girls.
BoyFrench
Yosuke
Sun helper; ocean helper (depends on characters) (Japanese)
BoyJapanese
Yutaka
Abundant, bountiful (depends on kanji) (Japanese)
BoyJapanese
Yvonne
Yew tree (Germanic). No. 2,063 in the US in 2025, 92 babies.
GirlEnglish
Yoshiko
Good child (depends on characters) (Japanese)
GirlJapanese
Yena
Art and graceful (depends on hanja) (Korean). No. 7,472 in the US in 2025, 15 babies.
GirlKorean
Yeoreum
Summer, a native Korean word (Korean)
GirlKorean
Yaroslav
Fierce glory (Slavic). No. 8,884 in the US in 2025, 9 babies.
BoyRussian
Yaffa
Beautiful, lovely (Hebrew). No. 5,548 in the US in 2025, 23 babies.
GirlHebrew
Most popular names starting with Y in 2025
Ranked by the number of US babies given each name. Each spelling is counted on its own.
| US rank | Name | Babies | For | 10-year trend | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #450 | Yusuf | 698 | Boys | Steady | he will add |
| #507 | Yara | 585 | Girls | Steady | – |
| #616 | Yahya | 455 | Boys | Steady | – |
| #672 | Yaretzi | 422 | Girls | Steady | – |
| #665 | Yosef | 413 | Boys | Steady | he will add |
| #741 | Yehuda | 351 | Boys | Steady | praised, thanked |
| #745 | Yousef | 349 | Boys | Steady | he will add |
| #794 | Yareli | 343 | Girls | Steady | – |
| #816 | Yahir | 305 | Boys | Steady | – |
| #818 | Yael | 304 | Boys | Steady | mountain goat, ibex |
| #826 | Yisroel | 300 | Boys | Steady | – |
| #839 | Yadiel | 294 | Boys | Steady | – |
| #952 | Yuna | 271 | Girls | Rising | gentle and graceful (depends on hanja) |
| #959 | Yasmin | 269 | Girls | Steady | jasmine flower |
| #911 | Yitzchok | 261 | Boys | Steady | – |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 2025. Trend compares the rank with ten years earlier.
Y names by the numbers
How many US babies get a name starting with Y, counted from Social Security records of names given to at least 5 babies.
Girls
- Share of girls, 2025
- 0.5%
- Place among 26 letters
- 23rd
- Different Y names
- 294
- In the top 1,000
- 5
Share of girls with a Y name: 0.3% in 1950, 0.6% in 2000, and 0.5% in 2025.
Boys
- Share of boys, 2025
- 0.6%
- Place among 26 letters
- 23rd
- Different Y names
- 284
- In the top 1,000
- 10
Share of boys with a Y name: 0.0% in 1950, 0.2% in 2000, and 0.6% in 2025.
Y names used in many cultures
Names our database lists in the most languages and countries, easy to spell and say in several of them.
- Yusufhe will add (Hebrew)
- Yasminjasmine flower (Persian)
- Yujade or rain in Chinese; gentle in Japanese (Chinese and Japanese)
- Yvonneyew tree (Germanic)
- Yaaborn on Thursday (Akan)
- Yaakovsupplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew)
- Yaarahoneycomb, honeysuckle (Hebrew)
- Yaelmountain goat, ibex (Hebrew)
- Yafabeautiful, pleasant (Hebrew)
- Yaffabeautiful, lovely (Hebrew)
- Yağızbrown, chestnut (Turkish)
- Yağmurrain (Turkish)
- Yahavhope (Hebrew)
- Yairhe shines (Hebrew)
- Yakiraprecious (Hebrew)
- Yakovsupplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew)
- Yalazflame (Turkish)
- Yaldathe winter solstice festival (Syriac)
Where these names come from
- Hebrew: 44
- Japanese: 30
- Korean: 25
- Turkish: 11
- Greek: 10
- Arabic: 6
- Chinese: 6
- Persian: 5
All 157 names that start with Y
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yaa | born on Thursday | Akan | Girl |
| Yaakov | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yaara | honeycomb, honeysuckle | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yael | mountain goat, ibex | Hebrew | Unisex |
| Yafa | beautiful, pleasant | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yaffa | beautiful, lovely | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yağız | brown, chestnut | Turkish | Boy |
| Yağmur | rain | Turkish | Unisex |
| Yahav | hope | Hebrew | Unisex |
| Yair | he shines | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yakira | precious | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yakov | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yalaz | flame | Turkish | Boy |
| Yalda | the winter solstice festival | Syriac | Girl |
| Yali | my God | Hebrew | Unisex |
| Yamato | great harmony; old name for Japan | Japanese | Boy |
| Yamila | beautiful | Arabic | Girl |
| Yamini | night | Sanskrit | Girl |
| Yan | swallow (bird); beautiful (depends on characters) | Chinese | Girl |
| Yana | God is gracious | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yang | sun; ocean (depends on characters) | Chinese | Unisex |
| Yanina | God is gracious | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yaniv | he will prosper | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yann | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yannick | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yaqub | holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yarden | to flow down; the Jordan River | Hebrew | Unisex |
| Yaren | close friend | Turkish | Girl |
| Yaron | he will sing | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yaroslav | fierce glory | Slavic | Boy |
| Yaroslava | fierce glory | Slavic | Girl |
| Yasaman | jasmine flower | Persian | Girl |
| Yasemin | jasmine flower | Persian | Girl |
| Yash | fame, glory | Sanskrit | Boy |
| Yasha | short form of Yakov, supplanter | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yasin | the letters ya and sin, opening Quran chapter 36 | Arabic | Boy |
| Yasir | easy, wealthy | Arabic | Boy |
| Yasmin | jasmine flower | Persian | Girl |
| Yasushi | peaceful, healthy (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yavuz | stern, grim | Turkish | Boy |
| Yaw | born on Thursday | Akan | Boy |
| Yayoi | third month of the old calendar | Japanese | Girl |
| Yazdan | angel, divinity | Persian | Boy |
| Yechezkel | God will strengthen | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yechiel | God will live | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yedida | beloved, friend | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yedidya | beloved of God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yeeun | artistic grace (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yefim | cheerful, good-spirited | Greek | Boy |
| Yeganeh | unique | Persian | Girl |
| Yegor | farmer, a folk form of Georgy | Greek | Boy |
| Yehoshafat | God has judged | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yehoshua | Yahweh is salvation | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yehuda | praised, thanked | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yeji | insight, wisdom | Korean | Girl |
| Yejin | artistic and precious (depends on characters) | Korean | Girl |
| Yejun | artistic and talented (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Yekaterina | Russian form of Katherine | Greek | Girl |
| Yelena | Russian form of Helen | Greek | Girl |
| Yelizaveta | my God is an oath | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yena | art and graceful (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yente | noble, from French gentille | Yiddish | Girl |
| Yeona | beautiful child (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yeong | brave, heroic, when written 英 | Korean | Unisex |
| Yeongcheol | eternally wise (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeonggi | eternal foundation (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeongho | heroic and great (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeonghui | flower and lady (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yeonghwan | eternal and shining (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeongja | flower child (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yeongjin | hero and true (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeongsik | hero and planted (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeongsu | eternal long life (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Yeongsuk | flower and virtuous (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yeonu | lasting blessing (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Yeoreum | summer, a native Korean word | Korean | Girl |
| Yerin | wise jade luster (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yeşim | jade | Turkish | Girl |
| Yetunde | mother has returned | Yoruba | Girl |
| Yevdokiya | goodwill | Greek | Girl |
| Yevfrosiniya | joy, mirth | Greek | Girl |
| Yevgenia | well-born, noble | Greek | Girl |
| Yevgeny | well-born, noble | Greek | Boy |
| Yewande | mother has found me | Yoruba | Girl |
| Yewon | art and beautiful woman (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yifat | splendor | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yiftach | he opens | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yiğit | brave young man | Turkish | Boy |
| Ying | flower; clever (depends on characters) | Chinese | Unisex |
| Yinon | he will flourish | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yiska | to behold | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yisrael | God contends | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yitzhak | he will laugh | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yıldırım | lightning | Turkish | Boy |
| Yıldız | a star | Turkish | Girl |
| Ylva | a she-wolf | Old Norse | Girl |
| Yocheved | God is glory | Hebrew | Girl |
| Yoel | Yahweh is God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yoichi | sun and one (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yoko | sunlight child; ocean child (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yolotl | heart, spirit | Nahuatl | Unisex |
| Yolotzin | beloved heart | Nahuatl | Unisex |
| Yoloxóchitl | heart flower | Nahuatl | Girl |
| Yom Tov | good day, holiday | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yonah | dove | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yonatan | God has given | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yonca | clover | Turkish | Girl |
| Yong | brave; eternal (depends on characters) | Chinese | Unisex |
| Yongjun | brave and talented (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yori | to rely on, trust (depends on kanji) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yosef | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yoshie | good blessing (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yoshiko | good child (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yoshio | righteous man (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yosuke | sun helper; ocean helper (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yota | sun and big (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yotam | God is perfect | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yousef | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yousra | ease, wealth | Arabic | Girl |
| Yousry | comfort, prosperity | Arabic | Boy |
| Youstina | just | Latin | Girl |
| Yu | jade or rain in Chinese; gentle in Japanese | Chinese and Japanese | Unisex |
| Yue | moon; joy (depends on characters) | Chinese | Unisex |
| Yui | binding, tie (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yuina | tie and greens (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yuito | tie and soar (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yuji | heroic and two, often a second son (depends on kanji) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yujin | having treasure (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Yujun | abundant talent (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Yuka | gentle flower (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yuki | snow; happiness (depends on characters) | Japanese | Unisex |
| Yukiko | snow child | Japanese | Girl |
| Yukimura | happy village | Japanese | Boy |
| Yukio | fortunate man (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yuko | gentle child (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yüksel | rise | Turkish | Unisex |
| Yume | dream | Japanese | Girl |
| Yumi | archery bow | Japanese | Girl |
| Yun | cloud (depends on characters) | Chinese | Unisex |
| Yuna | gentle and graceful (depends on hanja) | Korean | Girl |
| Yunus | dove | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yura | short form of Yuri, farmer | Greek | Boy |
| Yuraq | white | Quechua | Unisex |
| Yuri | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Unisex |
| Yuriko | lily child (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yusra | ease, wealth | Arabic | Girl |
| Yusuf | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yusuke | heroic helper (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yuta | calm and big (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yutaka | abundant, bountiful (depends on kanji) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yuval | stream | Hebrew | Boy |
| Yuzu | Japanese citron | Japanese | Girl |
| Yuzuki | tie and moon (depends on characters) | Japanese | Girl |
| Yuzuru | tie and bowstring (depends on characters) | Japanese | Boy |
| Yves | yew tree | Germanic | Boy |
| Yvette | yew | Germanic | Girl |
| Yvonne | yew tree | Germanic | Girl |
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular names that start with Y?
The most popular names starting with Y in the US are Yusuf (#450 for boys), Yara (#507 for girls), Yahya (#616 for boys), Yaretzi (#672 for girls), Yosef (#665 for boys), according to US Social Security Administration data for 2025.
How many names start with Y?
In 2025, 294 different girl names starting with Y were given to at least 5 US babies each, and 5 of them were in the top 1,000. In 2025, 284 different boy names starting with Y were given to at least 5 US babies each, and 10 of them were in the top 1,000. This page lists 157 with their meaning and origin.
How common are girl names that start with Y?
0.5% of US girls born in 2025 have a name starting with Y, making it the 23rd most common first letter. In 1950 it was 0.3%.
How common are boy names that start with Y?
0.6% of US boys born in 2025 have a name starting with Y, making it the 23rd most common first letter. In 1950 it was 0.0%.
Where do names starting with Y come from?
The most common origins on this list are Hebrew (44), Japanese (30), Korean (25).