Hebrew Names that Start With Y

Yael is an Old Testament name often heard in Israel that could work well here: just remember that it's pronounced with two syllables...it is also spelled Ya'el. In the Bible she was a Kenite woman in the time of Deborah who killed the enemy general, Sisera.

One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50 and was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022, when it went from being outside the Top 1000 to within the Top 700.

A name with a double animal connection via two distinct origins, one Native American and the other Hebrew and Biblical. Yona is rare in the US but not unknown: It was given to a dozen baby girls in 2021.

This Hebrew and Arabic name hit the US Top 300 in 2004 via an unusual inspiration: A Mexican pop singer and telenovela star known simply as Yahir, who was himself named after a Brazilian soccer player. Possibly a variation of the Hebrew Jair the Arabic Zahir, Yahir has since declined since its peak in the 2000s, however, it does remain in the latter end of the US Top 1000.

A common unisex name in Israel, more properly written as Ya'el, Yael rose more than 200 places in 2023 to become one of the fastest-rising boys' names of the year in the US.

Yasiel is gaining a following thanks to superstar baseball player Yasiel Puig, a Cuban native who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Biblical Yasiel, which can also be spelled Jasiel, was a warrior in David's army. About 100 baby boys were given the name in both spellings in the U.S. last year, a number that is expected to rise.

The name from which Jordan arose, Yarden has a nice combination of river imagery and a sound connoting a garden. Like Jordan, used for both sexes.

A widely used Hebrew form of Joseph, with a sophisticated and continental air.

This form of the stylish Old Testament name is too close to the feminine Yona.

The original Hebrew form of Jacob is resurfacing in the US charts after a several-decade-long hiatus. The Old Testament figure is considered the founding father of the Jewish nation, whose twelve sons descended into the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Hebrew version of Joel has a pleasant, almost jolly sound.

This modernized version of Yehudah is the source of on popular choice Judah and is traditionally given to boys born at Chanukah — a Jewish festival of lights and rededication which is celebrated in the winter. Yehuda first appeared on the US Top 1000 in 200 and, as of 2023, it has ranked consistently since 2014. The Yehudah spelling has never ranked, while Judah is used six times more often than Yehuda.

Feminine name consistently popular in the Latino community.

Anyone who ever saw "Seinfeld" wouldn't be able to resist adding a couple more "yada" 's. Also a bit too close to Yoda.

The name given to Jacob/Yaacov after wrestling with God's angel, most often used without the initial Y.

A modern Hebrew translation of Shayna, the Yiddish word for "beautiful," and commonly heard in Israel.

Unlikely to catch on the way the male original has, though it may appeal to some parents as a more formal version of Nina.

Most modern parents outside Israel would prefer Aaron.

Anglicized as Judah, this name of a biblical patriarch is given symbolically to boys born on Chanukah; a form of it was spotlighted by violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin.