Baby Names That Start With Y: 19 Girl & Boy Names With Meanings
Y names are bright and international, with strong roots in Hebrew, Arabic, Slavic and Japanese. This list gathers 19 names that start with Y, from Yasmin and Yara to Yusuf and Yuri, with the meaning, origin and a short note on each.
Reviewed
Where an origin is uncertain, as with Yara, we say so. Names are grouped by gender and ordered roughly from classic to distinctive.
Our top picks
Girl names (10)
- YaelHebrewibex, mountain goatA biblical heroine's name and used for any gender.
- YaraArabic / Tupismall butterfly (Arabic); lady of the water (Tupi)A two-language favourite.
- YaretziNahuatlyou will always be lovedA tender Mexican name.
- YasminPersianthe jasmine flowerFragrant and widely used.
- YelenaRussianthe Russian form of HelenA Russian classic.
- YeseniaArabic / SpanishflowerA pretty Latin American favourite.
- YolandaGreek / Frenchviolet flowerWarm and vintage.
- YuliaRussianyouthful (the Russian form of Julia)A Slavic classic.
- YvetteFrenchyewA French vintage name.
- YvonneFrenchyewA French classic.
Boy names (8)
- YairHebrewhe will enlightenA biblical name that is bright and rare.
- YashSanskritglory, fameShort and widely used in India.
- YehudaHebrewpraised (the Hebrew form of Judah)A tribe of Israel.
- YoelHebrewYahweh is GodA prophet's name; also spelled Joel.
- YosefHebrewhe will add (the Hebrew form of Joseph)A biblical patriarch.
- YuriRussianfarmer (the Russian form of George)Famous through Yuri Gagarin.
- YusufArabiche will add (the Arabic form of Joseph)A widely used name in the Muslim world.
- YvesFrenchyewChic and French.
Unisex names (1)
- YukiJapanesesnow, or happiness (depending on the kanji)Short and pretty.
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How to choose
Y can be a vowel or a consonant
In names like Yara and Yusuf, Y sounds like 'yuh'. In names like Yvonne, it sounds like 'ee'. Check the pronunciation before you choose.
Biblical and Arabic forms of the same name
Yusuf (Arabic), Yosef (Hebrew) and Joseph are the same name in three languages. Choosing the Arabic or Hebrew form is a way to honour a heritage.
Japanese Y names
Yuki (snow or happiness), Yuri (lily) and Yuna are used across Japan, with different meanings depending on the kanji.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular baby names that start with Y?
Yara, Yasmin, Yusuf and Yosef are among the most widely used Y names.
What are unique baby names that start with Y?
Yaretzi, Yair, Yesenia and Yves are rarer but easy to pronounce.
What are gender-neutral baby names that start with Y?
Yuki and Yael are used for any gender.
What does the name Yusuf mean?
Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph and means 'he will add'.
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