Names Deemed "strange"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is strange.
gender
usage
impression
​
Woo-Jin m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 우진 (see U-Jin).
Worknesh f Amharic
Feminine form of Workneh.
Wotan m Germanic Mythology
Variant of Wodan.
Wouter m Dutch
Dutch form of Walter.
Wren f English (Modern)
From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.
Wrenlee f English (Modern)
Variant of Wrenley.
Wrenley f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Wren using the popular name suffix ley.
Wubbe m Frisian
Variant of Wobbe.
Wulf m German
Variant of Wolf.
Wulfgang m Germanic
Old German form of Wolfgang.
Wulfhram m Germanic
Old German form of Wolfram.
Wulfric m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name meaning "wolf ruler", from the elements wulf "wolf" and ric "ruler, king".
Wulfrun f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wulf "wolf" and run "secret lore, rune". This was the name of a 10th-century English noblewoman who founded the city of Wolverhampton.
Wulfstan m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wulf "wolf" and stan "stone".
Wulfwynn f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wulf "wolf" and wynn "joy".
Wum m Limburgish
Short form of Wullem.
Wybert m Medieval English
Middle English form of Wigberht.
Wymond m Medieval English
Middle English form of the Old English name Wigmund, composed of the elements wig "battle" and mund "protection".
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Wynne 2 m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Wine.
Wynnstan m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wynn "joy" and stan "stone".
Wynona f English
Variant of Winona.
Wynonna f English (Rare)
Variant of Winona.
Wynter f English (Modern)
Variant of Winter.
Wystan m English (Rare)
From the Old English name Wigstan, composed of the elements wig "battle" and stan "stone". This was the name of a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon saint. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, and in modern times it is chiefly known as the first name of the British poet W. H. Auden (1907-1973).
Xaawo f Somali
Somali form of Eve.
Xabi m Basque
Basque diminutive of Xavier.
Xabier m Basque, Galician
Basque and Galician form of Xavier.
Xacobe m Galician
Galician form of Iacobus (see James).
Xaime m Galician
Galician form of Iacomus (see James).
Xande m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Alexandre.
Xander m Dutch, English (Modern)
Short form of Alexander. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by a character on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
Xandinho m Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese diminutive of Alexandre.
Xandra f Dutch
Short form of Alexandra.
Xanthe f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.
Xanthia f English (Rare)
Modern elaborated form of Xanthe.
Xanthippe f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Xanthippos. This was the name of the wife of Socrates. Because of her supposedly argumentative nature, the name has been adopted (in the modern era) as a word for a scolding, ill-tempered woman.
Xanthos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
From Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow". This is the name of several minor figures in Greek mythology, including kings of Pelasgia and Thebes.
Xanti m Basque
Basque form of Santiago.
Xaver m German
German form of Xavier.
Xavia f English (Rare)
Modern feminine form of Xavier.
Xavier m English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish
Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.
Xaviera f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Xavier.
Xavior m English (Rare)
Variant of Xavier.
Xbalanque m Mayan Mythology
Possibly from Classic Maya balam "jaguar" and k'in "sun" or kej "deer". In the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya, Xbalanque and his twin brother Hunahpu avenge their father's death at the hands of the underworld gods.
Xena f Popular Culture
Probably a variant of Xenia. This was the name of the main character in the 1990s television series Xena: Warrior Princess.
Xene f Late Greek
Variant of Xenia. This was occasionally adopted as a monastic name during the Byzantine era.
Xenia f Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek
Means "hospitality" in Greek, a derivative of ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". This was the name of a 5th-century saint who is venerated in the Eastern Church.
Xeno f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Xenon.
Xenocrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ξενοκράτης (Xenokrates), which was derived from ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek philosopher.
Xenon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest".
Xenophon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreign, strange" and φωνή (phone) meaning "voice". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek military commander and historian. This name was also borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Xerxes m Old Persian (Hellenized), History
Greek form of the Old Persian name 𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠 (Xšayarša), which meant "ruler over heroes". This was the name of a 5th-century BC king of Persia, the son of Darius the Great. He attempted an invasion of Greece, which ended unsuccessfully at the battle of Salamis.
Xesús m Galician
Galician form of Jesus, used as a personal name.
Xia m & f Chinese
From Chinese 夏 (xià) meaning "summer, great, grand", 霞 (xiá) meaning "rosy clouds", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Xián m Galician
From Xulián, the Galician form of Julian.
Xiana f Galician
From Xuliana, the Galician form of Juliana.
Ximena f Spanish
Feminine form of Ximeno. This was the name of the wife of El Cid.
Ximeno m Medieval Spanish
Medieval Spanish or Basque name of uncertain meaning. It is possibly a form of Simon 1, though it may in fact derive from Basque seme meaning "son".
Ximun m Basque
Basque form of Ximeno.
Xinyi m & f Chinese
From Chinese 欣 (xīn) meaning "happy, joyous, delighted" or 心 (xīn) meaning "heart, mind, soul" combined with 怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Xiomara f Spanish
Possibly a Spanish form of Guiomar.
Xiu f Chinese
From Chinese 秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Xiulan f Chinese
From Chinese 秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with 兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Xiuying f Chinese
From Chinese 秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with 英 (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". Other character combinations are possible.
Xoán m Galician
Galician form of John.
Xoana f Galician
Galician feminine form of John.
Xóchilt f Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Spanish variant form of Xochitl.
Xochipilli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "flower prince" in Nahuatl, from xōchitl "flower" and pilli "noble child, prince". Xochipilli was the Aztec god of love, flowers, song and games, the twin brother of Xochiquetzal.
Xochiquetzal f Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Derived from Nahuatl xōchitl "flower" and quetzalli "quetzal feather, precious thing". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of love, flowers and the earth, the twin sister of Xochipilli.
Xochitl f Nahuatl
Means "flower" in Nahuatl.
Xolani m Zulu
Means "peace" in Zulu.
Xosé m Galician
Galician form of Joseph.
Xuân m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 春 (xuân) meaning "spring (season)".
Xuan m Asturian
Asturian form of Iohannes (see John).
Xue f & m Chinese
From Chinese 雪 (xuě) meaning "snow" or 学 (xué) meaning "study, learning, school", besides other characters pronounced similarly.
Xulia f Galician
Galician form of Julia.
Xulio m Galician
Galician form of Julius.
Xun m & f Chinese
From Chinese 勋 (xūn) meaning "meritorious deed, rank" or 迅 (xùn) meaning "fast, sudden", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Xurxo m Galician
Galician form of George.
Xwm m Hmong
Means "second son" in Hmong.
Xystos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Sixtus.
Xzavier m English (Modern)
Variant of Xavier.
Yaa f Akan
Means "born on Thursday" in Akan.
Yaara f Hebrew
Means "honeycomb" and "honeysuckle" in Hebrew.
Yachna f Hebrew (Rare)
Perhaps a feminine form of Yochanan.
Yadira f Spanish (Latin American), American (Hispanic)
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from an Arabic name. It has been used in Mexico since at least the 1940s, perhaps inspired by the Colombian actress Yadira Jiménez (1928-?), who performed in Mexican films beginning in 1946.
Yaeko f Japanese
From Japanese 八 (ya) and 重 (e) meaning "multilayered" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji characters can also form this name.
Yael f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jael.
Yafa f Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew יָפֶה (yafe) meaning "beautiful".
Yaffa f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew יָפָה (see Yafa).
Yaffe m & f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew יָפֶה (see Yafe).
Yağmur f & m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "rain" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Yago m Spanish
Spanish form of Iacobus (see James). The form Santiago refers more specifically to the New Testament apostles.
Yahui f & m Chinese
From Chinese 雅 (yǎ) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with 惠 (huì) meaning "favour, benefit". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Yahveh m Theology
Variant of Yahweh.
Yahweh m Theology
A name of the Hebrew God, represented in Hebrew by the Tetragrammaton ("four letters") יהוה (Yod Heh Vav Heh), which was transliterated into Roman script as Y H W H. Because it was considered blasphemous to utter the name of God, it was only written and never spoken, which resulted in the original pronunciation becoming lost. The name may have originally been derived from the Hebrew root הָוָה (hawa) meaning "to be, to exist, to become".
Yahya m Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic form of Yoḥanan (see John) appearing in the Quran, as well as the Turkish and Persian form. This name honours John the Baptist, a prophet in Islam.
Yair m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Spanish (Latin American)
Hebrew form of Jair, as well as a Spanish variant.
Yakhin m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jachin.
Yakim m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Joachim.
Yakira f Hebrew
Means "precious" in Hebrew.
Yakov m Hebrew, Russian, Bulgarian (Rare)
Russian and Bulgarian form of Jacob (or James), and an alternate transcription of Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (see Yaakov).
Yale m English (Rare)
From a Welsh surname, which was itself derived from a place name meaning "fertile upland" (from Welsh ial).
Yaling f Chinese
From Chinese 雅 (yǎ) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with 玲 (líng) meaning "tinkling of jade". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Yam m Semitic Mythology
Means "sea" in Ugaritic. Yam was the Ugaritic god of the sea, also associated with chaos, storms and destruction. He was a son of the chief god El.
Yama 1 m Hinduism
Means "twin" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu god of death. According to the Vedas he was the first mortal being, or in other words, the first person to die. This name is related to Persian Jam.
Yamanu m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Amon.
Yamato m Japanese
From Yamato, an ancient name for Japan. It can also refer to the Yamato period in Japanese history, which lasted into the 8th century. The individual kanji are 大 meaning "great" and 和 meaning "harmony".
Yami f Hinduism
Means "twin" in Sanskrit. According to the Vedas this was the name of the first woman, the twin sister of Yama, later equated with the river goddess Yamuna.
Yamikani m & f Chewa
Means "be grateful, praise" in Chewa.
Yamila f Spanish (Latin American)
Form of Jamila used especially in Latin America.
Yamuna f Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu
From the name of an Indian river, a major tributary of the Ganges, derived from Sanskrit यम (yama) meaning "twin". As a Hindu goddess, she is a personification of the river.
Yan 1 m Belarusian
Belarusian variant form of Greek Ioannes (see John).
Yana f Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian
Bulgarian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Jana 1.
Yancy m & f English
From a surname, which was an Americanized form of the Dutch surname Jansen meaning "Jan 1's son".
Yanick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Yanina f Russian, Ukrainian
Diminutive of Yana.
Yanis m Greek, French
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάνης (see Gianis). It is also used in France, in part inspired by the Breton names Yann and Yannic.
Yaniv m Hebrew
Means "he will prosper" in Hebrew.
Yankel m Yiddish
Yiddish diminutive of Jacob.
Yanko m Bulgarian
Diminutive of Yoan 2.
Yanna 1 f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάννα (see Gianna).
Yanni m Greek (Expatriate)
Diminutive of Yiannis. A famous bearer is the Greek-American musician Yiannis Chryssomallis (1954-), who goes by the single name Yanni.
Yannick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Yannis m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάννης (see Giannis).
Yaqoob m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يعقوب (see Yaqub).
Yaqub m Arabic
Arabic form of Yaʿaqov (see Jacob) appearing in the Quran.
Yara 2 f Tupi
Variant of Iara.
Yarden m & f Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jordan.
Yardena f Hebrew
Hebrew feminine form of Jordan.
Yaren f Turkish
Means "close friend", derived from Persian یاران (yārān).
Yaretzi f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Possibly a variant of Yaritza.
Yaron m Hebrew
Means "to sing, to shout" in Hebrew.
Yaroslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Means "fierce and glorious", derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and slava "glory". Yaroslav the Wise was an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv who expanded Kievan Rus to its greatest extent.
Yaroslava f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian and Russian feminine form of Yaroslav.
Yasaman f Persian
Variant of Yasamin.
Yasamin f Persian
Persian form of Yasmin.
Yaşar m Turkish
Means "lives, inhabits" in Turkish.
Yasemin f Turkish
Turkish form of Jasmine.
Yasen m Bulgarian
Means both "ash tree" and "clear, serene" in Bulgarian.
Yaser m Persian, Turkish, Arabic
Persian and Turkish form of Yasir, as well as an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.
Yasha m Russian
Russian diminutive of Yakov.
Yasir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "easy, wealthy" in Arabic, derived from the root يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". This was the name of an early Islamic martyr. It was also borne by Yasir Arafat (1929-2004), a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Yasmin f Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, English (Modern), Spanish (Modern), Portuguese (Modern)
Means "jasmine" in Arabic and Hebrew, derived from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn). In modern times it has been used in the western world, as an Arabic-influenced variant of Jasmine.
Yasmina f Arabic, Spanish (Modern), French (Modern)
Variant of Yasmin.
Yasmine f Arabic, French (Modern), English (Modern)
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسمين (see Yasmin).
Yasser m Arabic, Persian
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسر (see Yasir) or Persian یاسر (see Yaser).
Yasu 1 f & m Japanese
From Japanese 安 (yasu) meaning "peace, quiet", 康 (yasu) meaning "peaceful" or 坦 (yasu) meaning "flat, smooth, level", as well as other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Yavor m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Javor.
Yavuz m Turkish
Means "stern, grim" in Turkish.
Yawen f Chinese
From Chinese 雅 (yǎ) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with 雯 (wén) meaning "cloud patterns". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Yazhu f & m Chinese
From Chinese 雅 (yǎ) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with 筑 (zhù) meaning "lute, zither, build". Other character combinations are also possible.
Yazmin f English (Modern)
Variant of Jasmine.
Yechezkel m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Ezekiel.
Yefim m Russian
Russian vernacular form of Euthymius.
Yefrem m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Ephraim.
Yehochanan m Biblical Hebrew
Original Hebrew form of John (and Jehohanan).
Yehoshua m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joshua.
Yehowah m Theology
Variant spelling of Yahweh.
Yehoyaqim m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jehoiakim.
Yehudah m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew יְהוּדָה (see Yehuda).
Yehudit f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Judith.
Yejide f Yoruba
Means "mother has awakened" in Yoruba.
Ye-Jun m Korean
From Sino-Korean 藝 (ye) meaning "art, talent, craft" combined with 俊 (jun) meaning "talented, handsome", as well as other hanja combinations.
Yelena f Russian
Russian form of Helen.
Yelysaveta f Ukrainian
Traditional Ukrainian form of Elizabeth.
Yelyzaveta f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Elizabeth.
Yemelyan m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Yemima f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jemima.
Yeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name. This name was borne by Jang Yeong-sil (where Jang is the surname), a 15th-century Korean scientist and inventor.
Yeong-Hui f Korean
From Sino-Korean 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or 泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with 姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or 嬉 (hui) meaning "enjoy, play". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Yeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" and 淑 (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Yered m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jared.
Yermolai m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Ермолай (see Yermolay).
Yesenia f Spanish (Latin American)
From Jessenia, the genus name of a variety of palm trees found in South America. As a given name, it was popularized by the writer Yolanda Vargas Dulché in the 1970 Mexican telenovela Yesenia and the 1971 film adaptation.
Yeseniya f Russian
Russian form of Yesenia. The 1971 Mexican movie was extremely popular in the Soviet Union.
Yesfir f Russian
Russian form of Esther.
Yeshua m Biblical Hebrew, Ancient Aramaic
Contracted form of Yehoshuaʿ (see Joshua) used in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible. The form was also used in Aramaic, and was most likely the name represented by Greek Iesous (see Jesus) in the New Testament. This means it was probably the real name of Jesus.
Yessenia f Spanish (Latin American)
Variant of Yesenia.
Yéssica f Spanish
Spanish form of Jessica.
Yeter f Turkish
Means "enough, sufficient" in Turkish.
Yeva f Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian form of Eve.
Yevdokiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Eudocia.
Yevgeniy m Russian
Russian form of Eugene.
Yevgeniya f Russian
Russian form of Eugenia.
Yevhen m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugene.
Yevheniy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugene.
Yevpraksiya f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Eupraxia. This was the name of a daughter of Vsevolod I, grand prince of Kyiv, who became the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Henry IV.
Yewande f Yoruba
Means "mother has found me" in Yoruba.
Yezekael m Breton
Breton form of Iudicael (see Judicaël).
Yi f & m Chinese
From Chinese 宜 (yí) meaning "suitable, proper", 毅 (yì) meaning "resolute, decisive, firm", 义 (yì) meaning "justice, righteousness", 益 (yì) meaning "profit, benefit", 怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony" (which is usually only feminine) or 仪 (yí) meaning "ceremony, rites" (also usually feminine). Other characters can also form this name.
Yianni m Greek (Expatriate)
Diminutive of Yiannis.
Yiannis m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάννης (see Giannis).
Yidel m Yiddish (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Yiddish יודאל (see Yudel).
Yiğit m Turkish
Means "brave" in Turkish.
Yijun m & f Chinese
From Chinese 怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony" combined with 君 (jūn) meaning "king, ruler". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Yıldırım m Turkish
Means "lightning" in Turkish.
Yıldız f Turkish
Means "star" in Turkish.
Yılmaz m Turkish
Means "dauntless, intrepid" in Turkish.
Yin f & m Chinese
From Chinese 银 (yín) meaning "silver, money", 音 (yīn) meaning "sound, tone" or 荫 (yīn) meaning "shade, shelter, protect", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Yishai m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jesse.
Ylenia f Italian, Spanish (Modern)
Variant of Ilenia.
Ylli m Albanian
Derived from Albanian yll meaning "star".
Yllka f Albanian
Feminine form of Ylli.
Ylva f Swedish, Norwegian
Means "she-wolf", a derivative of Old Norse úlfr "wolf".
Yngvar m Norwegian
Variant of Ingvar.
Yngvarr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Ingvar.
Yngvi m Norse Mythology
Possibly an Old Norse cognate of Ing. This was an alternate name of the god Freyr, who as Yngvi-Freyr was regarded as the ancestor of the Swedish royal family.
Yoan 1 m French
French form of Johann.
Yoan 2 m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of John.
Yoana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine form of John.
Yo'ash m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joash.
Yoav m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joab.
Yochanan m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of John (and Johanan). This is a contracted form of the longer name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehoḥanan).
Yocheved f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jochebed.
Yoel m Hebrew, Spanish, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joel, as well as a Spanish variant.
Yohan m French
French form of Johann.
Yolanda f Spanish, English
From the medieval French name Yolande, which was probably a form of the name Violante, which was itself a derivative of Latin viola "violet". Alternatively it could be of Germanic origin.... [more]
Yolande f French
French form of Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.
Yolotli f & m Nahuatl
Variant of Yolotl.
Yona m & f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jonah. It is a unisex name in modern Hebrew.
Yonah m & f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew יוֹנָה (see Yona).
Yonatan m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jonathan.
Yong m & f Chinese, Korean
From Chinese 勇 (yǒng) meaning "brave" or 永 (yǒng) meaning "perpetual, eternal". This can also be a single-character Korean name, for example from the hanja 勇 meaning "brave". It can be formed by other characters besides those listed here.
Yoni m Hebrew
Diminutive of Yonatan.
Yonit f Hebrew
Feminine form of Yona.
Yoram m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joram.
Yorath m Welsh (Rare)
Anglicized form of Iorwerth.
Yorgos m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιώργος (see Giorgos).
Yorick m Literature, English, Dutch
Possibly an altered form of Jörg. Shakespeare used this name for a deceased court jester in his play Hamlet (1600).
York m English
From an English surname that was derived from York, the name of a city in northern England. The city name was originally Eburacon, Latinized as Eboracum, meaning "yew" in Brythonic. In the Anglo-Saxon period it was corrupted to Eoforwic, as if from Old English eofor "boar" and wic "village". This was rendered as Jórvík by the Vikings and eventually reduced to York.
Yoselin f Spanish (Latin American)
Spanish form of Jocelyn.
Yoshi m & f Japanese
From Japanese 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck", 義 (yoshi) meaning "righteous", or 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable", as well as other kanji with the same reading.
Yoshiko f Japanese
From Japanese 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable", 芳 (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or 悦 (yoshi) meaning "joy, pleased" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other kanji combinations as well.
Yoshiro m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 義郎 (see Yoshirō).
Yoshiyahu m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Josiah.
Yōsuke m Japanese
From Japanese 陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or 洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with 介 (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Yosyp m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Joseph.
Younes m Arabic (Maghrebi), Persian
North African and Persian form of Yunus.
Young-Gi m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 영기 (see Yeong-Gi).
Youssef m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Youta m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽太 (see Yōta).
Yrian m Medieval Scandinavian
Medieval Scandinavian form of Jurian.
Yrjö m Finnish
Finnish form of Jurian.
Ysabel f Spanish (Archaic)
Medieval Spanish form of Isabel.
Ysbrand m Dutch (Rare)
Variant of IJsbrand.
Yseult f French (Rare)
French form of Iseult.
Ysolt f Arthurian Cycle
Old French form of Iseult, appearing in the 12th-century Old French poem Tristan by Thomas of Britain.
Yua f Japanese
From Japanese 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" and 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Yuda m Indonesian
Means "war" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit युद्ध (yuddha).
Yudel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Judah.
Yuina f Japanese
From Japanese 結 (yui) meaning "tie, bind" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Yuka f Japanese
From Japanese 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" combined with 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" or 佳 (ka) meaning "good, beautiful". It can also be formed from different kanji that have similar pronunciations.
Yukiko f Japanese
From Japanese 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" or 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Alternatively, it can come from 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" with 喜 (ki) meaning "joy" or 貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Yuli m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Юлий (see Yuliy).
Yulian m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Julian.
Yuliana f Russian, Bulgarian, Indonesian
Russian, Bulgarian and Indonesian form of Juliana.
Yulianna f Russian
Russian form of Juliana.
Yuliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Julius.
Yuliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Bulgarian form of Julia.
Yume f Japanese
From Japanese 夢 (yume) meaning "dream, vision". It can also come from 裕 (yu) meaning "abundant, rich, plentiful" and 芽 (me) meaning "bud, sprout", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.
Yu-Mi f Korean
From Sino-Korean 有 (yu) meaning "have, possess" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other hanja character combinations can also form this name.
Yumi f Japanese
From Japanese 弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow". It can also come from 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause", 友 (yu) meaning "friend" or a nanori reading of 弓 (yu) meaning "archery bow" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.
Yun f & m Chinese
From Chinese 云 (yún) meaning "cloud" or 允 (yǔn) meaning "allow, consent", as well as other Chinese characters that are pronounced in a similar way.
Yunuen f & m Spanish (Mexican)
Meaning unknown, probably of indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin. This is the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico.
Yunus m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic form of Yona (see Jonah). It appears in the Quran.
Yura m Russian, Ukrainian
Diminutive of Yuriy.
Yuri 1 m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Alternate transcription of Russian Юрий, Ukrainian Юрій or Belarusian Юрый (see Yuriy).
Yuri 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Yuriy m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of George. This name was borne by Yuriy Dolgorukiy, a 12th-century grand prince of Kyiv. The Soviet cosmonaut Yuriy (or Yuri) Gagarin (1934-1968), the first man to travel to space, was another famous bearer of this name.
Yusef m Persian, Arabic
Alternate transcription of Persian یوسف (see Yousef) or Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Yusra f Arabic
Means "wealth, ease" in Arabic, a derivative of يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich".
Yustina f Russian
Russian form of Iustina (see Justina).
Yutke f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Judith.
Yūto m Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" combined with 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, 人 (to) meaning "person" or 翔 (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Yuu m & f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優 or 悠 or 勇 (see Yū).
Yuudai m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 雄大 (see Yūdai).
Yuuka f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優花 or 有香 (see Yūka).
Yuuko f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優子 or 悠子 or 裕子 (see Yūko).
Yuuma m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 悠真 or 優真 (see Yūma).
Yuuta m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優太 or 悠太 or 勇太 or 雄大 (see Yūta).
Yuuto m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優斗 or 悠斗 or 悠人 or 悠翔 or 優翔 or 柚翔 or 祐翔 or 勇人 (see Yūto).
Yuzuki f Japanese
From Japanese 柚 (yuzu) meaning "grapefruit, pomelo, citrus fruit" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Yvain m Arthurian Cycle
Form of Owain used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion.
Yves m French
Medieval French form of Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.
Yvette f French, English
French feminine form of Yves.
Yvon m French
Medieval diminutive of Yves.
Ywain m Arthurian Cycle
Variant of Owain.
Zaahir 1 m Arabic
Means "shining, brilliant, radiant" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".
Zaahira f Arabic
Feminine form of Zaahir 1.
Zabel f Armenian
Armenian form of Isabel. A 13th-century ruling queen of Cilician Armenia bore this name.
Zabulon m Biblical Latin, Biblical French, Biblical Italian, Biblical Polish
Latin form of Zebulun.
Zacarías m Spanish
Spanish form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zacarias m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zaccai m Biblical
From the Hebrew name זַכָּי (Zakkai) meaning "pure". This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Zacchaeus m Biblical
From Ζακχαῖος (Zakchaios), the Greek form of Zaccai. According to the New Testament, Zacchaeus was a tax collector who climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus, then gave half of his possessions to charity.
Zaccharias m Biblical Latin
Form of Zacharias used in the Latin Bible.
Zachariah m English, Biblical
Variant of Zechariah. This spelling is used in the King James Version of the Old Testament to refer to one of the kings of Israel (called Zechariah in other versions).
Zacharias m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Greek
Greek form of Zechariah. This form of the name is used in most English translations of the New Testament to refer to the father of John the Baptist. It was also borne by an 8th-century pope (called Zachary in English).