Names Deemed "wholesome"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is wholesome.
gender
usage
impression
​
Uzziel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my power is God" in Hebrew, from the roots עֹז (ʿoz) meaning "strength, power" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Vale f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "wide river valley".
Valentina f Italian, Russian, Lithuanian, German, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian, Romanian, Spanish, Greek, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1). A famous bearer is the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova (1937-), who in 1963 became the first woman to visit space.
Valentine 2 f French
French feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Valéria f Portuguese, Hungarian, Slovak
Portuguese, Hungarian and Slovak form of Valeria.
Valeria f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valerius. This was the name of a 2nd-century Roman saint and martyr.
Valerie f English, German, Czech
English and German form of Valeria, as well as a Czech variant of Valérie.
Valerija f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Lithuanian
Form of Valeria in several languages.
Valerio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Valerius.
Valerius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin valere "to be strong". This was the name of several early saints.
Valya f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Valentina or Valentin.
Vanamo f Finnish (Modern)
Means "twinflower" in Finnish.
Varpu f Finnish
From the Finnish name for a type of berry bush.
Vasilisa f Russian
Russian feminine form of Basil 1.
Vasundhara f Hindi, Telugu
Means "possessor of wealth" in Sanskrit, used to refer to the earth.
Veera f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Vera 1.
Velma f English
Probably a variant of Wilma, the spelling with an e perhaps due to the influence of Selma 1. This name has been in use since the 19th century.
Venla f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Wendel.
Vera 1 f Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, Georgian
Means "faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Vered f Hebrew
Means "rose" in Hebrew, originally a borrowing from an Iranian language.
Verena f German, Late Roman
Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.
Verity f English
From the English word meaning "verity, truth", from Latin verus "true, real". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Vern m English
Short form of Vernon.
Verna f English
Feminine form of Vernon, sometimes associated with the Latin word vernus "spring". It has been in use since the 19th century.
Veselin m Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic vesel meaning "cheerful".
Veslemøy f Norwegian
Means "little girl" from Norwegian vesle "little" and møy "girl". This name was created by Norwegian writer Arne Garborg for the main character in his poem Haugtussa (1895).
Vicente m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Vincent.
Victoire f French
French form of Victoria.
Víctor m Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan form of Victor.
Victoria f English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Means "victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.... [more]
Vidya f Hinduism, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Means "knowledge, science, learning" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.
Vienna f English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Austria, Vienna.
Viktória f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Victoria.
Vilde 1 f Norwegian
Short form of Alvilde.
Vilma f Spanish, Portuguese, Finnish, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Croatian
Form of Wilma in several languages.
Vimal m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
From Sanskrit विमल (vimala) meaning "clean, pure, spotless".
Vinay m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit विनय (vinaya) meaning "leading, guidance, modesty".
Vinícius m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Vinicius (see Vinicio). It gained popularity in Brazil due to the poet and musician Vinícius de Moraes (1913-1980).
Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Violet f English
From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.
Violeta f Romanian, Spanish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Albanian, Lithuanian
Form of Violet in several languages.
Violetta f Italian, Russian, Hungarian
Italian, Russian and Hungarian form of Violet.
Violette f French
French form of Violet.
Virginia f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman family name Verginius or Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.... [more]
Virginie f French
French form of Virginia.
Vita 2 f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian short form of Viktoriya.
Vitalia f Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Vitale.
Vitaliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Vitaliya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Vittoria f Italian
Italian form of Victoria.
Vittorio m Italian
Italian form of Victorius.
Viviana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Late Roman
Feminine form of Vivianus (see Vivian). Saint Viviana (also known as Bibiana) was a Roman saint and martyr of the 4th century.
Viviane f French, Portuguese
French form of Viviana, as well as a Portuguese variant. It is also the French form of Vivien 2.
Vivien 1 m French
French form of Vivianus (see Vivian).
Viviette f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Vivienne. William John Locke used this name for the title character in his novel Viviette (1910).
Vladyslav m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Vladislav.
Voirrey f Manx
Vocative form of Moirrey.
Volker m German
Derived from the Old German element folk "people" combined with heri "army".
Wahyu m Indonesian
Means "revelation" in Indonesian.
Waimarie f Maori
Means "good luck" in Maori.
Wakana f Japanese
From Japanese 和 (wa) meaning "harmony, peace" and 奏 (kana) meaning "play music, complete", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Walahfrid m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and fridu "peace".
Walid m Arabic
Means "newborn" in Arabic, derived from ولد (walada) meaning "to give birth". This was the name of the Umayyad caliph who conquered Spain in the 8th century.
Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.
Wally m English
Diminutive of Walter or Wallace.
Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.... [more]
Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".
Wanda f Polish, English, German, French
Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).
Wandalin m Germanic
Old German form of Wendelin.
Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".
Warren m English
From an English surname that was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "animal enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Wasylyna f Ukrainian (Polonized, Rare)
Polonized form of Vasylyna.
Watson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.
Wayne m English
From an occupational surname meaning "wagon maker", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". Use of it as a given name can be partly attributed to the popularity of the actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Another famous bearer is Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky (1961-), generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Wayra m Quechua
Means "wind, air" in Quechua.
Weldon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill near a spring" in Old English.
Wendel m & f Dutch (Rare), German (Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Old short form of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil meaning "a Vandal". The Vandals were a Germanic tribe who invaded Spain and North Africa in the 5th century. Their tribal name, which may mean "wanderer", has often been confused with that of the Wends, a Slavic people living between the Elbe and the Oder.... [more]
Wendelin m German, Germanic
Old diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil (see Wendel). Saint Wendelin was a 6th-century hermit of Trier in Germany.
Wendell m English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Wendel. In America this name has been given in honour of the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) and his son the Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935). The elder's middle name came from his mother's maiden name (which had been brought to America by a Dutch ancestor in the form Wendel, with the extra l added later).
Wendy f English
In the case of the character from J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904), it was created from the nickname fwendy "friend", given to the author by a young friend. However, the name was used prior to the play (rarely), in which case it could be related to the Welsh name Gwendolen and other names beginning with the element gwen meaning "white, blessed". The name only became common after Barrie's play ran.
Werther m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements werd "worthy" and heri "army". Goethe used this name in his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774).
Wes m English
Short form of Wesley.
Wesley m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning "west meadow" from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.
Wessel m Frisian, Dutch
Old Frisian diminutive of Werner.
Whetū f & m Maori
Means "star" in Maori.
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Widald m Germanic
Old German name composed of the elements witu "wood" and walt "power, authority".
Wieland m German, Germanic Mythology
German cognate of Wayland.
Wiesława f Polish
Feminine form of Wielisław.
Wiktoria f Polish
Polish form of Victoria.
Wil m & f English, Dutch
Short form of William and other names beginning with Wil.
Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".
Wilbur m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
Wilford m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "willow ford" in Old English.
Wilfred m English
Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Wilhelm m German, Polish, Germanic
German cognate of William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).
Wilhelmina f Dutch, German (Rare), English
Dutch and German feminine form of Wilhelm. This name was borne by a queen of the Netherlands (1880-1962).
Wilhelmus m Dutch
Latinized form of Wilhelm. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Willa f English
Feminine form of William.
Willard m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Willihard (or the Old English cognate Wilheard).
Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
Willemijn f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
Willemina f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
William m English
From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]
Willie m & f English
Masculine or feminine diminutive of William. Notable bearers include the retired American baseball player Willie Mays (1931-) and the musician Willie Nelson (1933-).
Willoughby m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "willow town" in Old English.
Willow f English (Modern)
From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.
Wilma f German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (Latin American)
Short form of Wilhelmina. German settlers introduced it to America in the 19th century.
Wilmer m English, Spanish (Latin American), Swedish
From the Old English name Wilmǣr, likely via a surname that was derived from it. In some cases it might be regarded as a masculine form of Wilma.
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Wilton m English
From a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Winfred m English
Means "friend of peace" from the Old English elements wine "friend" and friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Winifred f English, Welsh
From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
Winnie f English
Diminutive of Winifred. Winnie-the-Pooh, a stuffed bear in children's books by A. A. Milne, was named after a real bear named Winnipeg who lived at the London Zoo.
Winnifred f English, Welsh
Variant of Winifred.
Winona f English, Sioux
Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.
Winslow m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "hill belonging to Wine". A famous bearer of this name was American painter Winslow Homer (1836-1910).
Winston m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984.
Winter f English (Modern)
From the English word for the season, derived from Old English winter.
Wiola f Polish
Polish form of Viola.
Wioletta f Polish
Polish form of Violet.
Wisdom f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, a derivative of Old English wis "wise".
Wisteria f English (Rare)
From the name of the flowering plant, which was named for the American anatomist Caspar Wistar.
Witold m Polish
Polish form of Vytautas. Alternatively it could be derived from the Old German name Widald.
Wojciech m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements vojĭ "warrior, soldier" and utěxa "solace, comfort, joy". Saint Wojciech (also known by the Czech form of his name Vojtěch or his adopted name Adalbert) was a Bohemian missionary to Hungary, Poland and Prussia, where he was martyred in the 10th century.
Wojciecha f Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Wojciech.
Woodrow m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "row of houses by a wood" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), who was given his mother's maiden name as his middle name (his first name was Thomas). During his candidacy and presidency (1912-1921) the name became popular, reaching the 44th rank in 1913, though it quickly declined after that.
Wren f English (Modern)
From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.
Wright m English
From an occupational surname meaning "craftsman", ultimately from Old English wyrhta. Famous bearers of the surname were the Wright brothers (Wilbur 1867-1912 and Orville 1871-1948), the inventors of the first successful airplane, and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect.
Wulfwynn f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wulf "wolf" and wynn "joy".
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Wynn m Welsh
Variant of Wyn.
Wynne 1 m & f Welsh
Variant of Wyn, sometimes used as a feminine form.
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.
Xiang m & f Chinese
From Chinese 翔 (xiáng) meaning "soar, glide", 祥 (xiáng) meaning "good luck, good omen", 香 (xiāng) meaning "fragrant" (which is usually only feminine) or 湘 (xiāng), which refers to the Xiang River in southern China. This name can also be formed from other characters.
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.
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.
Xochitl f Nahuatl
Means "flower" in Nahuatl.
Yaara f Hebrew
Means "honeycomb" and "honeysuckle" in Hebrew.
Yael f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jael.
Yair m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Spanish (Latin American)
Hebrew form of Jair, as well as a Spanish variant.
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.
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".
Yamila f Spanish (Latin American)
Form of Jamila used especially in Latin America.
Yamilet f Spanish (Latin American)
Variant of Yamila.
Yan 2 f & m Chinese
From Chinese 艳 (yàn) meaning "beautiful, gorgeous" (which is usually only feminine) or 岩 (yán) meaning "cliff, rocks", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced in a similar fashion.
Yana f Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian
Bulgarian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Jana 1.
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.
Yara 2 f Tupi
Variant of Iara.
Yasaman f Persian
Variant of Yasamin.
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.
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.
Yasmina f Arabic, Spanish (Modern), French (Modern)
Variant of Yasmin.
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.
Yehoshua m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joshua.
Yelena f Russian
Russian form of Helen.
Yelyzaveta f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Elizabeth.
Yemima f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jemima.
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.
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.
Yevgeniy m Russian
Russian form of Eugene.
Yevhen m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugene.
Yevheniya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugenia.
Yewande f Yoruba
Means "mother has found me" in Yoruba.
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.
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.
Yıldız f Turkish
Means "star" in Turkish.
Yishai m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jesse.
Yitzhak m Hebrew
Hebrew form of Isaac. This was the name of two recent Israeli prime ministers.
Ylli m Albanian
Derived from Albanian yll meaning "star".
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.
Yōko f Japanese
From Japanese 陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or 洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Yoko f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽子 or 洋子 (see Yōko).
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.
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.
Yosef m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joseph.
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.
Yosyp m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Joseph.
Ysabel f Spanish (Archaic)
Medieval Spanish form of Isabel.
Yū m & f Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness", 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence", 勇 (yū) meaning "brave", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Yua f Japanese
From Japanese 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" and 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Yui f Japanese
From Japanese 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" combined with 衣 (i) meaning "clothing, garment". It can also come from stand-alone 結 (yui) using a different nanori reading. This name can be formed of other kanji or kanji combinations as well.
Yūka f Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" and 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom". It can also be composed of different kanji that have the same pronunciations.
Yūki m & f Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" combined with 希 (ki) meaning "hope", 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or 生 (ki) meaning "living". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Yuki f & m Japanese
From Japanese 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" or 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow". It can also come from 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" combined with 貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" or 紀 (ki) meaning "chronicle". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.
Yuko f Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji.
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.
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.
Yumiko f Japanese
From Japanese 弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow" or 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are 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.
Yūna f Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 柚 (yū) meaning "grapefruit, pomelo, citrus fruit" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" or 奈 (na), a phonetic character. Other combinations of kanji are also possible.
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.
Yūri f Japanese
From Japanese 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" and 里 (ri) meaning "village". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji.
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".
Yūta m Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness", 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" or 勇 (yū) meaning "brave" combined with 太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other combinations of kanji are possible.
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).
Yuuka f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優花 or 有香 (see Yūka).
Yuuki m & f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優希 or 悠希 or 優輝 or 悠生 (see Yūki).
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).
Yuuna f Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優菜 or 優奈 or 柚菜 (see Yūna).
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.
Zacarias m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zaccaria m Italian
Italian form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
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).
Zahia f Arabic
Feminine form of Zahi.
Zahra 1 f Arabic, Persian
From Arabic زهراء (zahrāʾ), the feminine form of أزهر (ʾazhar) meaning "shining, brilliant, bright". This is an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatima.... [more]
Zainab f Arabic, Urdu, Hausa, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic زينب (see Zaynab), as well as the usual form in several languages.
Zarathushtra m Avestan
Avestan form of Zarathustra.
Zarina f Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik, Urdu, Malay
From Persian زرین (zarīn) meaning "golden". According to the 5th-century BC Greek historian Ctesias, this was the name of a Scythian queen.
Zaya f Mongolian
Means "fate, destiny" in Mongolian.
Zdravko m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Derived from South Slavic zdrav meaning "healthy", ultimately from Old Slavic sŭdorvŭ.
Zebadiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew, derived from זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Zechariah m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zeḵarya) meaning "Yahweh remembers", from the roots זָכַר (zaḵar) meaning "to remember" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form Zacharias or the English form Zachary. As an English given name, Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.
Zélie f French
Short form of Azélie. This is another name of Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877).
Zheng m & f Chinese
From Chinese 正 (zhèng) meaning "right, proper, correct" or 政 (zhèng) meaning "government", as well as other hanja characters with a similar pronunciation.
Zhihao m & f Chinese
From Chinese 志 (zhì) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or 智 (zhì) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with 豪 (háo) meaning "brave, heroic, chivalrous". Many other character combinations are possible.
Zinaida f Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian
Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian form of Zenaida.
Zinnia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.
Zlata f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian
Feminine form of Zlatan.
Zoé f French, Hungarian
French and Hungarian form of Zoe.
Žofie f Czech
Czech form of Sophia.
Zoi f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Zoe.
Zornitsa f Bulgarian
Means "morning star" in Bulgarian.
Zrinka f Croatian
Possibly from Zrin, the name of a village in Croatia, or from the noble Zrinski family that originated there.
Zuzana f Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian
Czech, Slovak and Lithuanian form of Susanna.
Zvezdana f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian and Slovene form of Zvjezdana.