Girl names that start with Y range from Yasmin, Yara, Yesenia and Yolanda to Yael, Yui and Yıldız, and this list of 144 gives a checked origin and meaning for every one.
Y is a small letter with a big passport. These girl names that start with Y include Spanish favorites, Hebrew word names like Yakira (“precious”), Japanese and Chinese names, Russian classics, Turkish names meaning star, rain and clover, and Yoruba names about a mother’s love. No Y name made the U.S. girls’ top 10 for 2025, according to the Social Security Administration, so any of them will stand out.
We grouped these Y names for girls by origin, because the letter sounds different from one language to the next. Then come quick style lists, a pronunciation guide, 13 popular names with a Y inside, and simple tests for choosing your favorite.
Key Takeaways
- Y names are uncommon in the U.S., and none is in the SSA girls’ top 10 for 2025.
- The best-known Y names for girls include Yasmin, Yara, Yaretzi, Yesenia, Yolanda, Yvonne and Yael.
- For Japanese, Chinese and Korean Y names, the meaning depends on the characters chosen.
- Y is a consonant in most names but a vowel in a few, such as Yvonne and Ysabel.
- Names like Maya, Lily and Freya have a Y inside if you want the look without the first letter.
Table of Contents
Girl Names That Start With Y at a Glance
Quick Answer
Every origin and meaning here was checked against the name’s own entry on Behind the Name in November 2026. Where the reference calls a meaning uncertain or unknown, we say so.
Girl names that start with Y are less common in the United States than names starting with most other letters, but the letter is busy around the world. It opens names in Spanish, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Turkish, Yoruba, Nahuatl and more. This list gives 144 verified girl names that start with Y, grouped by origin, plus 13 popular names with a Y inside. Each one comes with its origin and meaning as the reference gives them.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yasmin | Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, English (modern), Portuguese (modern) | “Jasmine” in Arabic and Hebrew, from Persian yāsamīn; in the western world it is used as an Arabic-influenced variant of Jasmine |
| Yasmine | Arabic, French (modern), English (modern) | Alternate transcription of the Arabic name Yasmin, “jasmine” |
| Yara | Arabic | From Persian yār, “friend, helper” |
| Yaretzi | Spanish (Latin American, modern) | Possibly a variant of Yaritza |
| Yaritza | Spanish (Latin American) | Elaborated form of Yara, using the same suffix as Maritza |
| Yareli | Spanish (Latin American, modern) | Possibly an elaboration of Yara |
| Yamileth | Spanish (Latin American) | Variant of Yamila, the Latin American form of Jamila (feminine of Jamil, “beautiful” in Arabic) |
| Yesenia | Spanish (Latin American) | From Jessenia, the genus name of a group of South American palm trees; popularized by Yolanda Vargas Dulché’s 1970 Mexican telenovela Yesenia and its 1971 film adaptation |
| Yolanda | Spanish, English | From the medieval French name Yolande, probably a form of Violante, from Latin viola, “violet”; it could alternatively be of Germanic origin |
| Yvonne | French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish | French feminine form of Yvon, a medieval diminutive of Yves; regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century |
| Yvette | French, English | French feminine form of Yves (from Ivo, a Germanic short form of names beginning with iwa, “yew”) |
| Yael | Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew form of Jael, “ibex, mountain goat” |
| Yuliana | Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Indonesian | Form of Juliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Iulianus |
| Yuna | German (modern), Dutch (modern) | Meaning uncertain; possibly from the Japanese name Yūna, which appears in the Final Fantasy video games |
| Yazmin | English (modern) | Variant of Jasmine, from the English word for the fragrant climbing plant (via Arabic from Persian yāsamīn) |
| Yancy | English (feminine and masculine) | From a surname, an Americanized form of the Dutch surname Jansen, “Jan’s son” |
None of these is in the Social Security Administration (SSA) top 10 for girls born in 2025, which runs Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia, Sophia, Mia, Isabella, Evelyn, Sofia and Eliana. The SSA counts every spelling separately, so Yasmin, Yasmine and Yazmin are treated as three different names. To see how often a particular Y name has been given, use the Popularity of a Name search on the SSA baby names site. The SSA leaves out names given fewer than 5 times in a year, so some names here will not show up at all.
A few of these names have stories worth knowing. Yesenia comes from the scientific name of a group of palm trees and became a given name thanks to a 1970 Mexican telenovela. Yolanda probably traces back to Latin viola, “violet”, although Behind the Name notes a possible Germanic origin too. Yvonne and Yvette are French feminine forms of Yves, and Yael is the Hebrew form of the biblical Jael. For more ideas across every letter, see our main list of baby girl names.
Spanish and Latin American Y Names
Spanish gives English speakers many of the most familiar Y names for girls. Several of them are local spellings of names you already know: in Latin America, Janet often becomes Yanet or Yaneth, Jamila becomes Yamila, and Julissa becomes Yulissa.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yadira | Spanish (Latin American), American (Hispanic) | Meaning unknown, possibly derived from an Arabic name; used in Mexico since at least the 1940s |
| Yamilet | Spanish (Latin American) | Variant of Yamila |
| Yamila | Spanish (Latin American) | Form of Jamila used especially in Latin America (from Arabic, “beautiful”) |
| Yaneth | Spanish (Latin American) | Variant of Janet used in Latin America (Janet is a medieval diminutive of Jane) |
| Yanet | Spanish (Latin American) | Variant of Janet used in Latin America |
| Yanira | Spanish | Spanish form of Ianeira, a name from Greek mythology, possibly from a Greek word meaning “Ionian” |
| Yessenia | Spanish (Latin American) | Variant of Yesenia |
| Yulissa | Spanish (Latin American) | Variant of Julissa, an elaboration of Julia |
| Yazmín | Spanish (modern) | Spanish variant form of Yasmin, “jasmine” |
| Yasmín | Spanish (modern) | Spanish form of Yasmin |
| Yasmina | Arabic, Spanish (modern), French (modern) | Variant of Yasmin |
| Yaiza | Spanish | From the name of a town in the Canary Islands; used by novelist Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa for the main character of his Ocean trilogy (beginning 1984) |
| Ylenia | Italian, Spanish (modern) | Variant of Ilenia, a name of unknown meaning (possibly an elaborated form of Elena) |
| Ysabel | Spanish (archaic) | Medieval Spanish form of Isabel, itself a medieval form of Elizabeth |
The Yamila family is one of the richest here. Yamila is the Latin American form of Jamila, from the Arabic for “beautiful”, and Yamilet and Yamileth (in the table above) are variants of it. The jasmine names also come in several Spanish spellings: Yasmín is the Spanish form of Yasmin, Yazmín is a variant, and Yasmina is used in Arabic, Spanish and French.
Two names need an honest note. Behind the Name says the meaning of Yadira is unknown and that it may come from an Arabic name, so we print it that way. Ylenia is a variant of Ilenia, which also has an unknown meaning. Yaiza, by contrast, has a clear source: it is the name of a town in the Canary Islands, used by a Spanish novelist for his heroine. Ysabel is a medieval Spanish spelling of Isabel that Behind the Name marks as archaic. For more, see our Hispanic girl names list.
Hebrew Y Names
In Hebrew, many names that English writes with a J begin with a Y sound, so the Hebrew forms start with Y. Yehudit is the Hebrew Judith, Yemima the Hebrew Jemima, Yocheved the Hebrew Jochebed, and Yarden the Hebrew Jordan.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yafa | Hebrew | From Hebrew yafe, “beautiful, pleasant” |
| Yaffa | Hebrew | Alternate transcription of Yafa |
| Yahav | Hebrew (feminine and masculine) | “Hope” in Hebrew |
| Yakira | Hebrew | “Precious” in Hebrew |
| Yaara | Hebrew | “Honeycomb” and “honeysuckle” in Hebrew |
| Yarden | Hebrew (feminine and masculine) | Hebrew form of Jordan, the river name, from yarad, “descend, flow down” |
| Yardena | Hebrew | Hebrew feminine form of Jordan |
| Yarona | Hebrew | Feminine form of Yaron, “he will sing, he will shout” |
| Yedida | Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew form of Jedidah, from yadid, “beloved, friend” |
| Yehudit | Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew form of Judith, “Jewish woman” |
| Yemima | Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew form of Jemima, traditionally said to mean “dove” but possibly related to yomam, “daytime” |
| Yocheved | Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew form of Jochebed, “Yahweh is glory” |
| Yona | Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew (feminine and masculine) | Hebrew form of Jonah, “dove”; a unisex name in modern Hebrew |
| Yonina | Hebrew | Feminine form of Yona |
| Yonit | Hebrew | Feminine form of Yona |
| Yifat | Hebrew | “Splendor” in Hebrew |
| Yuval | Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew (feminine and masculine) | Hebrew form of Jubal, “stream”; used for both girls and boys in modern Hebrew |
Some of the prettiest meanings on this page are Hebrew word names. Yafa (also spelled Yaffa) comes from the word for “beautiful, pleasant”, Yakira means “precious”, Yifat means “splendor”, Yahav means “hope”, and Yaara means both “honeycomb” and “honeysuckle”. Yona (“dove”, from Jonah) is unisex in modern Hebrew, and Yonina and Yonit are feminine forms of it. Yuval, the Hebrew form of Jubal, “stream”, is also used for both girls and boys in modern Hebrew.
Behind the Name is careful about Yemima: the meaning of Jemima is traditionally said to be “dove”, but it may actually be related to the Hebrew word for “daytime”. We print both. For many more ideas, see our Hebrew girl names list.
Japanese Y Names (and Why the Meaning Depends on the Kanji)
A Japanese given name is usually written with kanji characters, and many different characters share the same sound. Behind the Name lists a few common kanji for each name below, and the meaning of a real person’s name depends on the characters their family chose. Treat each meaning as one common reading, not the only one.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yui | Japanese | Often from “tie, bind” or “excellence, superiority, gentleness” with “clothing, garment”; also from a single character read yui |
| Yua | Japanese | From “tie, bind” and “love, affection”; other kanji are possible |
| Yuina | Japanese | From “tie, bind” and “vegetables, greens”; other kanji are possible |
| Yūna | Japanese | From “excellence, superiority, gentleness” or “grapefruit, pomelo, citrus fruit” combined with “vegetables, greens” or a phonetic character |
| Yuki | Japanese (feminine and masculine) | From “happiness” or “snow”; or from “reason, cause” with “valuable” or “chronicle” |
| Yukiko | Japanese | From “happiness” or “snow” with “child”; other combinations are possible |
| Yuka | Japanese | From “reason, cause” with “fragrance” or “good, beautiful” |
| Yume | Japanese | From “dream, vision”; or from “abundant, rich, plentiful” with “bud, sprout” |
| Yumi | Japanese | From “archery bow”; or from “reason, cause” with “beautiful” |
| Yumiko | Japanese | From “archery bow”, or “reason, cause” with “beautiful”, combined with “child” |
| Yuri | Japanese | “Lily”; other kanji can also form this name |
| Yuriko | Japanese | From “lily” and “child” |
| Yuko | Japanese | From “excellence, superiority, gentleness” and “child” |
| Yuzuki | Japanese | From “grapefruit, pomelo, citrus fruit” and “hope” |
| Yōko | Japanese | From “light, sun, male” or “ocean” combined with “child” |
| Yoko | Japanese | Alternate transcription of Yōko |
| Yoshiko | Japanese | From “good, virtuous, respectable”, “fragrant, virtuous, beautiful” or “joy, pleased” combined with “child” |
| Yoshie | Japanese (feminine and masculine) | From “fragrant, virtuous, beautiful” combined with “favor, benefit”; other kanji are possible |
| Yoshimi | Japanese (feminine and masculine) | From “good, virtuous, respectable” and “beautiful” |
| Yasuko | Japanese | From one of several characters meaning “peaceful” combined with “child” |
A few building blocks come up again and again. Yu can mean “tie, bind” (in Yui, Yua and Yuina), “excellence, superiority, gentleness” (in Yuko) or “reason, cause” (in Yuka and Yumi). Ko, “child”, ends Yukiko, Yumiko, Yuriko, Yoshiko and Yasuko. Yuri is “lily”, Yume can mean “dream, vision”, and Yuki can mean “happiness” or “snow”.
Spelling matters with these names. Yōko and Yoko are the same name in two transcriptions; the line over the o marks a long vowel. Yūna is a Japanese name, while Yuna (in the first table) is listed separately by Behind the Name as a modern German and Dutch name of uncertain meaning, possibly from Yūna. Yuki, Yoshie and Yoshimi are listed for both girls and boys. For more, see our Japanese girl names list.
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Chinese and Korean Y Names
In Mandarin pinyin, many syllables begin with Y, so Y is a common first letter for Chinese given names. As with Japanese names, a written Chinese name is made of characters, and one Latin spelling can stand for several characters. The meanings below are the common readings Behind the Name gives.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ya | Chinese | “Elegant, graceful, refined”, among other characters |
| Yi | Chinese | “Suitable, proper”, “resolute, firm”, “justice, righteousness”, “profit, benefit” or “joy, harmony”, among others |
| Yin | Chinese | “Silver”, “sound, tone” or “shade, shelter, protect”, among others |
| Ying | Chinese | “Flower, petal, brave, hero”, “clever” or “image, shadow”, among others |
| Yue | Chinese | “Cross, surpass” (also referring to the Yue people) or “moon”, among others |
| Yun | Chinese | “Cloud” or “allow, consent”, among others |
| Yu | Chinese | “Jade, precious stone, gem”, “pleasant, delightful” or “rain”, among others |
| Yuan | Chinese | “First, origin”, “source, origin” or “beautiful woman” (usually only feminine), among others |
| Yan | Chinese | “Beautiful, gorgeous” or “swallow (bird)” (both usually feminine), or “cliff, rocks”, among others |
| Yang | Chinese | “Ocean”, or “light, sun, male” (typically only masculine), among others |
| Yahui | Chinese | “Elegant, graceful, refined” and “favor, benefit”; other combinations are possible |
| Yating | Chinese | “Elegant, graceful, refined” and “pretty, graceful”; other combinations are possible |
| Yawen | Chinese | “Elegant, graceful, refined” and “cloud patterns”; other combinations are possible |
| Yaling | Chinese | “Elegant, graceful, refined” and “tinkling of jade”; other combinations are possible |
| Yiting | Chinese | “Rely on” or “joy, harmony” with “pretty, graceful”; other combinations are possible |
| Yinuo | Chinese | “One” or “rely on” with “promise, approve”; other combinations are possible |
| Yulan | Chinese | “Magnolia”, from “jade” and “orchid”; other combinations are possible |
| Yumei | Chinese | “Jade, precious stone, gem” and “plum, apricot”; other combinations are possible |
| Yuxin | Chinese | “Rain” or “house, eaves, universe” with “happy, joyous, delighted”; other combinations are possible |
| Yutong | Chinese | “Rain” or “speech, words, proverb” with “tung tree, paulownia tree”; other combinations are possible |
| Yuxi | Chinese | “Rain” or “speech, words” with “evening tide”; other combinations are possible |
Many two-syllable names share a first part. Ya, “elegant, graceful, refined”, begins Yahui, Yating, Yawen and Yaling. Yu can mean “jade” or “rain”, which gives Yumei (“jade” plus “plum”), Yulan (“magnolia”), Yuxin, Yutong and Yuxi. Behind the Name lists Yawen, Yaling, Yulan and Yumei as feminine; most of the others, including the one-syllable names, are listed as both feminine and masculine. For more, see our Chinese girl names list.
Korean names work in a similar way: a name is written in Hangul, and families may also choose hanja (Chinese-origin characters) that give it meaning. The hyphenated spellings below are common romanizations.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ye-eun | Korean | From “shrewd, clever” with “kindness, mercy, charity” or “silver”; other hanja are possible |
| Ye-won | Korean | From “art, talent, craft” or “shrewd, clever” with “beautiful woman” or “first, origin” |
| Yu-jin | Korean (feminine and masculine) | From “have, possess” or “abundant” with “precious, rare” |
| Yu-mi | Korean | From “have, possess” and “beautiful” |
| Yun-seo | Korean (feminine and masculine) | From “govern” or “allow, consent” with “series, sequence” |
| Yeon-u | Korean (feminine and masculine) | From “beautiful” or “stretch, prolong” with “divine intervention, protection” or “rain” |
Ye-eun, Ye-won and Yu-mi are listed as feminine, while Yu-jin, Yun-seo and Yeon-u are listed for both girls and boys. Because the meaning depends on the hanja, ask a Korean speaker or check the entry if you want to choose specific characters.
European Y Names: French, Nordic, Greek and Slavic
French gives Y names an elegant, vintage feel, and the Nordic languages give them some of the shortest, boldest forms. Ylva, “she-wolf”, and Yrsa, possibly from Latin for “she-bear”, have a strong, wild-animal feel.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yolande | French | French form of Yolanda; borne by Yolande of Aragon, a 15th-century regent who supported Joan of Arc |
| Yseult | French (rare) | French form of Iseult, the Arthurian heroine; the origins of Iseult are uncertain |
| Yveline | French | Feminine diminutive of Yves |
| Ylva | Swedish, Norwegian | “She-wolf”, from Old Norse úlfr, “wolf” |
| Ylfa | Icelandic | Icelandic form of Ylva |
| Yrsa | Old Norse, Danish | Possibly from Latin ursa, “she-bear”; a name from the Scandinavian saga of Hrólfr Kraki |
| Yfke | Frisian, Dutch | Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element iwa, “yew” |
| Yianna | Greek | Alternate transcription of the Greek name written as Gianna (a Modern Greek variant of Ioanna) |
Yolande is the French form of Yolanda and was borne by Yolande of Aragon, a 15th-century regent who supported Joan of Arc. Yseult is the French form of Iseult, the heroine of the Tristan legend; Behind the Name says Iseult’s origins are uncertain. Yfke, a Frisian and Dutch name, links back to the old Germanic element for “yew”, like Yvonne and Yvette.
Many Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian names that English speakers know in another form begin with Y when written in the Latin alphabet. Yelena is the Russian Helen, Yelizaveta is Elizabeth, Yeva is Eve, and Yuliya is Julia.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yana | Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian | Form of Jana, the feminine form of Jan (a form of Johannes) |
| Yanina | Russian, Ukrainian | Diminutive of Yana |
| Yelena | Russian | Russian form of Helen, probably from Greek helene, “torch”, or possibly related to selene, “moon” |
| Yekaterina | Russian | Russian form of Katherine (an etymology that is debated); the name taken by Catherine the Great |
| Yelizaveta | Russian | Russian form of Elizabeth, from Hebrew, “my God is an oath”; the name of an 18th-century Russian empress |
| Yeva | Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian | Form of Eve, from Hebrew words meaning “to breathe” or “to live” |
| Yuliya | Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian | Form of Julia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Julius |
| Yulia | Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian | Alternate transcription of Yuliya |
| Yaroslava | Ukrainian, Russian | Feminine form of Yaroslav, “fierce and glorious” |
| Yevgeniya | Russian | Russian form of Eugenia, the feminine form of Eugenius |
| Yustina | Russian | Russian form of Iustina (see Justina), the feminine form of Iustinus |
| Yoana | Bulgarian | Bulgarian feminine form of John, “Yahweh is gracious” |
| Yordana | Bulgarian | Bulgarian feminine form of Jordan |
These names carry a lot of history: Catherine the Great took the name Yekaterina, and Yelizaveta was the name of an 18th-century Russian empress. Yulia and Yuliya are the same name in two transcriptions. For more, see our Russian girl names list.
Turkish, Arabic, Persian and Central Asian Y Names
This group is full of short word names with clear meanings. Several mean “star”: Yıldız in Turkish and Yulduz in Uzbek. Others name plants and stones: Yonca is “clover”, Yeşim is “jade”, and Yasemin is the Turkish form of Jasmine.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yasemin | Turkish | Turkish form of Jasmine |
| Yağmur | Turkish, Azerbaijani (feminine and masculine) | “Rain” in Turkish and Azerbaijani |
| Yıldız | Turkish | “Star” in Turkish |
| Yonca | Turkish | “Clover” in Turkish |
| Yaren | Turkish | “Close friend”, from Persian yārān |
| Yeşim | Turkish | “Jade” in Turkish |
| Yeganə | Azerbaijani | “Only, sole, unique”, ultimately from Persian yegāneh |
| Yulduz | Uzbek | “Star” in Uzbek |
| Yasamin | Persian | Persian form of Yasmin, “jasmine” |
| Yasmeen | Arabic, Urdu | Alternate transcription of Yasmin |
| Yusra | Arabic | “Wealth, ease”, from a root meaning “to be easy, to be rich” |
| Yamina | Arabic (Maghrebi) | From Arabic yamīn, “right hand, oath” |
Yağmur, “rain”, is listed for both girls and boys in Turkish and Azerbaijani. Yaren means “close friend” and Yeganə means “only, sole, unique”, and both trace back to Persian words. Yusra, “wealth, ease”, is Arabic. Yamina comes from the Arabic word for “right hand, oath” and is used in the Maghreb. For more, see our Arabic girl names list.
Print the special letters exactly as spelled (Yağmur, Yıldız, Yeşim, Yeganə). U.S. paperwork does not always carry accents or special characters, so check that you are comfortable with how the name may appear on forms.
African, South Asian and Indigenous American Y Names
Some of the most meaningful Y names come from West and Southern Africa, India, and Indigenous languages of the Americas. Several Yoruba names describe a family’s feelings at a baby’s birth.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yaa | Akan | “Born on Thursday” in Akan |
| Yetunde | Yoruba | “Mother has come again” in Yoruba |
| Yewande | Yoruba | “Mother has found me” in Yoruba |
| Yejide | Yoruba | “Mother has awakened” in Yoruba |
| Yamikani | Chewa (feminine and masculine) | “Be grateful, praise” in Chewa |
| Yamuna | Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu | From the name of an Indian river, a major tributary of the Ganges, derived from Sanskrit yama, “twin”; as a Hindu goddess she personifies the river |
| Yashoda | Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu | “Giver of fame”, from Sanskrit yaśas, “fame, glory”, and dā, “to give”; in the Puranas, the foster mother of Krishna |
| Yolotl | Nahuatl (feminine and masculine) | “Heart, spirit” in Nahuatl |
| Yolotzin | Nahuatl (feminine and masculine) | “Beloved heart”, from yōllōtl, “heart”, and the suffix tzin, “beloved, revered” |
| Yoloxochitl | Nahuatl | From yōllōtl, “heart”, and xōchitl, “flower” |
| Yatzil | Mayan | “Love, mercy, charity” in Yucatec Maya |
| Yaxkin | Mayan (feminine and masculine) | From Yaxk’in, the seventh month of the Maya calendar, from Classic Maya yax, “green, first”, and k’in, “sun, day” |
| Yunuen | Spanish (Mexican; feminine and masculine) | Meaning unknown, probably of Indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin; the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico |
| Yuraq | Quechua (feminine and masculine) | “White” in Quechua |
| Ysapy | Guarani | “Dew” in Guarani |
| Yeruti | Guarani (Hispanicized) | Variant of Jeruti, “dove” in Guarani |
| Yllka | Albanian | Feminine form of Ylli, from Albanian yll, “star” |
Yetunde, Yewande and Yejide are Yoruba names that all refer to a mother: “mother has come again”, “mother has found me” and “mother has awakened”. Yaa is the Akan name for a girl born on a Thursday. Yamikani, from Chewa, means “be grateful, praise” and is listed for girls and boys.
The Nahuatl names share the word for heart: Yolotl means “heart, spirit”, Yolotzin “beloved heart”, and Yoloxochitl joins “heart” and “flower”. Yatzil means “love, mercy, charity” in Yucatec Maya, Ysapy means “dew” in Guarani, and Yuraq means “white” in Quechua. Behind the Name says the meaning of Yunuen is unknown. Yamuna and Yashoda are names with religious meaning in Hinduism. If one of these names comes from a culture outside your own family, take time to learn how it is said and used. See also our gender neutral names guide for more names that work for any child.
Short, Nature-Inspired and Gender Neutral Y Names
Here is a quick guide to the names above, sorted by style. Every name listed here already appears in one of the tables, with its full origin.
- Short Y names (2 to 4 letters): Ya, Yi, Yu, Yaa, Yui, Yua, Yin, Yun, Yue, Yan, Yuna, Yuki, Yuka, Yume, Yumi, Yuri, Yana, Yeva, Yona, Yafa, Ylva, Ylfa, Yrsa, Yara and Yael.
- Flowers and plants (as the entries give them): Yasmin and its spellings (“jasmine”), Yuri (“lily” is one reading), Yulan (“magnolia”), Yonca (“clover”), Yaara (“honeysuckle”), Yesenia (from a palm tree genus) and Yolanda (probably from Latin for “violet”).
- Sky, weather and water: Yağmur (“rain”), Yuki (“snow” is one reading), Yun (“cloud” is one reading), Yue (“moon” is one reading), Ysapy (“dew”), Yarden (from the Jordan River) and Yuval (“stream”).
- Stars and stones: Yıldız and Yulduz (“star”), Yllka (from the Albanian word for “star”), Yeşim (“jade”) and Yumei (“jade” plus “plum”).
- Gender neutral: Yancy, Yahav, Yarden, Yona, Yuval, Yuki, Yoshie, Yoshimi, Yağmur, Yamikani, Yolotl, Yolotzin, Yaxkin, Yunuen, Yuraq, Yu-jin, Yun-seo, Yeon-u, and the Chinese names listed for both genders.
Nature meanings are a big reason parents choose Y names, but be careful with lists that call a name “nature” without a source. For Japanese and Chinese names in particular, “snow” or “moon” is only one possible reading, and the family’s chosen characters decide the real meaning.
How to Say Y Names: Consonant or Vowel?
Here is the detail most Y lists skip. In most of these names Y is a consonant, as in Yolanda or Yuki. In some French, Spanish and Nordic names it is a vowel, and Yvonne, Yseult and Ysabel begin with an ee or ih sound. The table uses the pronunciation printed on each name’s Behind the Name entry (mostly in the International Phonetic Alphabet), with a plain English hint.
| Name | Pronunciation | Quick hint |
|---|---|---|
| Yvonne | /ɪ.ˈvɑn/ (American English) | ih-VAHN: the Y is a vowel |
| Yvette | /ɪ.ˈvɛt/ or /i.ˈvɛt/ (English) | ih-VET or ee-VET |
| Yseult | /i.zø/ (French) | Starts with an ee sound |
| Ysabel | /i.sa.ˈβel/ (Spanish) | ee-sah-BEL |
| Ylenia | /i.ˈle.nja/ (Spanish) | ee-LEH-nyah |
| Yolanda | /joʊ.ˈlɑn.də/ (American English) | yoh-LAHN-duh |
| Yasmin | /ˈjæz.mɪn/ (English), /jaːs.ˈmiːn/ (Arabic) | YAZ-min in English, yahs-MEEN in Arabic |
| Yael | /ja.ˈʔel/ (Hebrew) | yah-EL, with a small break between the vowels |
| Yuki, Yumi | /jɨᵝ.kʲi/, /jɨᵝ.mi/ (Japanese) | YOO-kee, YOO-mee |
| Yūna | /jɨᵝː.nä/ (Japanese) | The line over the u marks a long vowel |
| Yıldız | /jɯɫ.ˈdɯz/ (Turkish) | The dotless ı is a different vowel from i |
| Yeşim | /je.ˈʃim/ (Turkish) | yeh-SHEEM |
| Yonca | /jon.ˈd͡ʒa/ (Turkish) | Turkish c is a j sound: yohn-JAH |
| Yusra | /ˈjus.raː/ (Arabic) | YOOS-rah |
| Yamikani | yah-mee-KAH-nee (Chewa) | As given on the entry |
Two practical tips. If you choose a vowel-Y name such as Yvonne or Ysabel, expect some people to say it with a y sound at first, so tell family early how you say it. And for names with special letters (Yūna, Yıldız, Yağmur), decide whether you will keep the mark on official documents or use a plain spelling, and use that spelling consistently.
Names With Y Inside (Not Starting With Y)
These names do not start with Y, but many parents who search for Y names really want the soft y sound or the look of a Y somewhere in the name. Each one below is a verified feminine or unisex entry, and we have kept them separate from the Y list so the count stays honest.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Maya | English | Variant of Maia, from Greek maia, “good mother, dame, foster mother”; also given in reference to the Maya people |
| Freya | Norse Mythology, English (modern), German | From Old Norse Freyja, “lady”; a Norse goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death |
| Lydia | English, German, Dutch, Biblical | “From Lydia” in Greek, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor |
| Kayla | English | A combination of the popular sound elements kay and la |
| Skylar | English (modern; feminine and masculine) | Variant of Skyler, itself a respelling of the surname Schuyler influenced by the word sky |
| Ivy | English | From the English word for the climbing plant, ultimately from Old English ifig |
| Lily | English | From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity, ultimately from Latin lilium |
| Emily | English | English feminine form of Aemilius; Chaucer used it as Emelye in The Knight’s Tale |
| Riley | English (feminine and masculine) | From a surname: an Irish variant of Reilly, or an English place name meaning “rye clearing” |
| Aaliyah | Arabic, English (modern), African American (modern) | Feminine form of Aali, “high, lofty, sublime” in Arabic |
| Sylvia | English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish | Variant of Silvia; the most common English spelling since the 19th century |
| Joy | English | From the English word joy, from Norman French joie (Latin gaudium); a given name since the late 19th century |
| Mayra | Spanish (Latin American), American (Hispanic) | Hispanic variant of Myra |
Lily and Ivy are plant names, and Joy is a word name in use since the late 19th century. Freya comes from the Old Norse word for “lady”, Lydia from a region of Asia Minor, and Maya is listed as a variant of Maia, “good mother”. Skylar and Riley are listed for both girls and boys. If you are also weighing other uncommon letters, see our lists of girl names that start with Q and girl names that start with X.
Related Betteroo Guides
- Girl Names That Start With Z
- Girl Names That Start With X
- Girl Names That Start With Q
- Hebrew Girl Names
- Japanese Girl Names
- Boy Names That Start With Y
The Bottom Line
Y is an uncommon first letter for girls’ names in the United States, but it is not a short list. It holds familiar favorites like Yasmin, Yara, Yesenia, Yolanda, Yvonne and Yael, gentle Japanese names like Yui and Yuna, Chinese and Korean names built from words like jade, rain and elegance, Slavic classics like Yelena and Yekaterina, and word names such as Yıldız (“star”) and Yonca (“clover”).
Before you decide, run four quick tests. Say the full name across a room. Write out the initials and check that they do not spell anything you would rather avoid. Spell it out loud as you would for a receptionist. And look up the name’s own entry so you can explain its meaning with confidence. If a Y name still makes you smile after a week of saying it, it is a good name, and one your daughter is unlikely to share with many classmates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some girl names that start with Y?
Well-known girl names that start with Y include Yasmin, Yara, Yaretzi, Yamileth, Yesenia, Yolanda, Yvonne, Yvette and Yael. Short picks include Yui, Yua, Yuki, Yumi, Yana and Ylva. Behind the Name lists Y names from Spanish, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Turkish, Yoruba, Nahuatl and many other languages.
What is a pretty Y name for a girl?
Pretty is personal, but many parents like Y names with gentle meanings. Yasmin means jasmine, Yakira means precious, Yafa means beautiful or pleasant, and Yaara means honeycomb and honeysuckle in Hebrew. Yume can mean dream in Japanese, Yulan means magnolia in Chinese, and Yıldız means star in Turkish.
What does the name Yara mean?
Behind the Name lists Yara as an Arabic feminine name from Persian yar, meaning friend or helper. Yaritza is an elaborated form of Yara, using the same suffix as Maritza, and Yareli is possibly an elaboration of Yara. Yara is a short, easy name that is spelled the way it sounds.
How do you pronounce Yvonne?
Behind the Name gives the American English pronunciation of Yvonne as ih-VAHN, so the Y works as a vowel. In French it is said closer to ee-VON. Yvonne is the French feminine form of Yvon, a medieval diminutive of Yves, and it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Are there Japanese girl names that start with Y?
Yes, many. Popular examples include Yui, Yua, Yuina, Yuna, Yuki, Yuka, Yume, Yumi, Yuri, Yuriko, Yoko and Yoshiko. The meaning of a Japanese name depends on the kanji characters chosen, so Yuki can mean happiness or snow, and Yume can mean dream or combine words for abundant and bud.
What Y names are gender neutral?
Behind the Name lists several Y names for both girls and boys, including Yancy, Yahav, Yarden, Yona, Yuval, Yuki, Yoshie, Yağmur, Yamikani, Yolotl, Yuraq, Yu-jin and Yun-seo. Many Chinese Y names, such as Yi, Yu, Yun and Ying, are also listed as both feminine and masculine.
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7 Sources
- Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names (top 10 names of 2025).
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html - Social Security Administration. Background Information for Popular Names.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/background.html - Behind the Name. Browse Names: feminine names with the first letter Y.
https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/letter/y - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Yasmin.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/yasmin - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Yolanda.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/yolanda - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Yael.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/yael - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Yuki.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/yuki
