150 Boy Names That Start With Y (with Meanings and Popularity)
Boy names that start with Y are a rare and exotic bunch. Yusuf, Yosef and Yousef — all international forms of the Biblical classic Joseph — are the three most popular Y boy names in the US today, all ranking in the Top 800 names for baby boys.
Along with Yusuf and its variants, Y starters Yahir, Yehuda and Yael also make the US Top 1000 for boys. In England and Wales, Y boys' names are relatively widespread: Yahya, Yunus, Yaqub, Yaseen, Yasin, Yuvraj, Yasir, Yanis, Yuvan and Yasha are just some of the Y names ranking in the British Top 1000.
Fun fact: Y names for boys were a runaway success in Cuba in the 70s and 80s, when so many little Yoanis, Yulieskis, Yuniers and others were born that they have been dubbed "Generación Y". Not so in the US, where boy names beginning with Y retain their distinctive, quietly quirky appeal, and make a good choice for parents looking for a unique baby boy name for a son.
Homegrown Y boys’ names include place names York and Yale, and nature-inspired Yarrow and Yardley.
Here, our full selection of boy names that start with Y, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Yves
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"yew wood"
- Yanis
Origin:
Greek, French, from HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"
- Yannick
Origin:
BretonMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- Yoshi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"good, respectful"
- Yasha
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"supplanter"
- York
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from the yew estate"
- Yadiel
Origin:
Spanish variation of YehudielMeaning:
"God has heard"
- Yuri
Origin:
Russian variation of George
- Yuji
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"relaxed and caring"
- Yukio
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"snow boy"
- Yohan
Origin:
Variation of JohanMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- Yaman
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"strong, stalwart"
- Yahir
Origin:
Hebrew and ArabicMeaning:
"he will enlighten, he shines; to be visible, shining"
- Yael
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"ibex"
- Yoni
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of Jehovah"
- Yuki
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"snow"
- Yarrow
Origin:
Botanical name, EnglishMeaning:
"rough stream"
- Yorick
Origin:
English literary name
- Yasiel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"whom God made"
- Yahel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"to shine"