Baby Names That Start With U: 15 Girl & Boy Names With Meanings
U names are among the most distinctive you can choose, with a soft, round sound. This list gathers 15 names that start with U, from gentle picks like Uma and Una to bold ones like Ulysses and Urban, with the meaning, origin and a short note on each.
Reviewed
Where an origin is uncertain, as with Ulysses and Una, we say so. Names are grouped by gender and ordered roughly from classic to distinctive.
Our top picks
Girl names (7)
- UmaSanskrittranquillity, light (a name of the goddess Parvati)Short and soothing.
- UnaIrish / Latinlamb (Irish, uncertain); one (Latin)A short, vintage name.
- UlaIrishsea jewelA short, lyrical Irish name.
- UlrikaGermanicwolf rulerA Scandinavian classic.
- UraniaGreekheavenlyThe Muse of astronomy.
- UrsulaLatinlittle bearA strong, storybook name.
- UnityEnglishonenessA virtue name.
Boy names (8)
- UgoItalianmind, spirit (the Italian form of Hugh)Short and Italian.
- UlricGermanicwolf rulerA historic name.
- UlyssesLatinuncertain; the Latin form of OdysseusHeroic and literary.
- UmarArabicflourishing, long-livedA well-loved Arabic name.
- UptonEnglishupper townA surname-name that is rare.
- UrbanLatinof the cityA papal name that feels modern.
- UriHebrewmy lightShort and bright.
- UrielHebrewGod is my lightAn archangel's name.
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How to choose
Rare means memorable
Few children are named with U, so a U name will almost always be unique in a class. Pair it with an easy middle name if you want balance.
Mind the pronunciation
U can sound like 'oo' (Una, Uma) or 'yoo' (Ulysses, Urban). Decide which you want and consider whether others will say it correctly.
Meaning-rich
Uriel and Uri mean 'God is my light' and 'my light', while Una means 'lamb' or 'one'. Many U names have a clear, gentle meaning.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular baby names that start with U?
Uma, Ursula and Uriel are among the best-known U names.
What are unique baby names that start with U?
Urania, Ulysses, Urban and Ulric are rare but easy to pronounce.
What are gender-neutral baby names that start with U?
Few U names are unisex, and most are used for one gender.
What does the name Uriel mean?
Uriel is Hebrew and means 'God is my light'.
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