Top Baby Boy Names That Start With Y

With so many options out there for boy names, it can be a challenge to pinpoint the perfect moniker for your little guy! If you’re thinking of choosing something a bit unique, consider boy names that start with Y. Although it might not be the go-to letter for baby boy names, monikers starting with Y come from all over the world and offer interesting meanings.

Common Boy Names That Start With Y

Although Y names for boys tend to be more unique than other letters of the alphabet, there are quite a few common options. If you’re looking for a name that others will likely recognize, pick from this list of more familiar monikers.

1. Yahir. If you’re looking for Spanish baby boy names, Yahir is a good option. As a modern name, this moniker doesn’t have an exact meaning, as it comes from the famous Mexican singer Yahir Othón Parra.

2. Yale. Some surnames are quite trendy, and this Welsh moniker has quite a cute ring to it! It means “fertile land.”

3. Yehuda. This name is a more modern version of the Hebrew moniker Yehudah, which comes from Judah and means “praise.”

4. Ye-jun. Korean boy names are quite interesting and come with several meanings. Ye-jun is one of the most popular boy names in Korea and can mean “art, talent” and “talented” or “handsome,” among other hanja interpretations.

5. Yeshua. You might recognize this baby boys’ name starting with Y, as it’s the Biblical Hebrew name of Joshua. However, others connect it to the Greek form of Jesus, Iesous, used in the New Testament. So, Yeshua may very well be the original name for Jesus!

6. Yiannis. Perhaps Giannis is a more common version of this name, but Yiannis puts an alternative spin on this Greek moniker. It’s the Greek form of John, which means “Yahweh is gracious.”

7. Yonah. As the Hebrew form of Jonah, Yonah means “dove.” And because it’s a unisex name, it’s also a good option for girl names that start with Y.

8. Yosef. If you’re reading this article in full, you might pick up on a theme. Y boy names tend to relate to classic English monikers, and Yosef is (no surprise) the Hebrew form of Joseph, meaning “he will add.”

9. Yoshi. Similar to Korean names, Japanese monikers can have numerous meanings, so Yoshi can mean “good luck,” “righteous,” or “good, virtuous, respectable,” among other interpretations.

10. Yusuf. Pronounced YOO-soof, this name is the Arabic, Turkish, and Indonesian version of Yosef above, so it also means “he will add.”

RELATED PREGNANCY TOOL

Baby Name Generator

By gender:

Girl

Boy

Unisex

By theme:

Cute

Royal

Nature

Mythology

Generate names

Unique Boy Names That Start With Y

Unique baby names offer the opportunity to give your little guy a moniker that sets him apart from the crowd. And because Y is a rare letter, you’ll find plenty of unique boy names that start with Y. 11. Yaakov. Another Hebrew name, Yaakov is a form of Jacob, which means “may he protect” or “holder of the heal.”

12. Yachin. For a unique boy name that starts with Y, consider Yachin as a rare variant spelling of Jachin. In Hebrew, the name means “he establishes.”

13. Yachle’el. Because of their Hebrew origins, quite a few boy names starting with Y are unique versions of Biblical names. Yachle’el is the form of Jahleel, which means “God waits.”

14.Yachtze’el. Another unique variant, Yachtze’el is a variant spelling for Jahzeel, a Biblical name meaning “God will divide” in Hebrew.

15. Yağmur. For a unique and beautiful boys’ name that starts with Y, consider Yağmur, a Turkish moniker that means “rain.” This might be the perfect nature baby name!

16. Yaxkin. If you’re interested in baby boy names starting with Y with unique meanings, you have Yaxkin. Yaxk’in is the name of the seventh month in the Mayan calendar. Yax means “green” and “first” and k’in means “sun” and “day,” and these words likely refer to springtime.

17. Yiorgos. If you’re following our list, you might be able to guess which name relates to Yiorgos—Giorgos! And since this is the Greek name for George, Yiorgos means “farmer” or “earth worker.”

18. Yorick. Give your little guy a name from literature with Yorick. This is the English version of the Dutch name Jørg, used in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.

19. Yousef. Yousef is another boys’ name that starts with Y and connects to Joseph. It’s the Persian form of the name and also means “he will add.”

20. Ywain. As one of the most unique boy names that start with Y, Ywain has interesting origins. It’s a literature name from Arthurian Romance and a variant of the Welsh name Owain, which connects to Eugene and means “well-born.”

More Unique Boy Names That Start With Y

Keep the uniqueness going with even more rare boy names starting with Y:

Choosing a baby name can be fun yet also overwhelming. Watch this video for some exciting facts that could help you find the perfect baby name!

Classic Y Boy Names

Sometimes, classic boy names are a perfect choice, as they’re as cute as they are unique. The following are excellent options for rare and old-fashioned boy names that start with Y.

31. Yakau. This rare Belarussian name is a form of James or Jacob, which share the meaning “may God protect.”

32. Yakim. A rare Russian name, Yakim is a form of Joachim, meaning “raised by Yahweh.”

33. Yakiv. Like Yakau above, Yakiv is also a form of James and Jacob, so it also means- “may God protect.” However, it’s Ukrainian in origin, though still an option for rare Y names for boys.

34. Yaniv. Old-fashioned, simple, and sweet, this Hebrew name means “he will prosper”—what a great name to welcome your baby into the world!

35. Yankel. Another diminutive of Jacob, Yankel is a Yiddish name. And because Jacob connects to James and Jacob, it joins the numerous monikers meaning “may God protect.”

36. Yevhen. For a truly old-fashioned boy name starting with Y, try Yevhen. It’s the Ukrainian form of Eugene, another classic name, which means “well-born.”

37. Yidel. Not only rare and old-fashioned, Yidel is also an adorable Y boy name! It’s a Yiddish name that connects to Judah, so it means “praise.”

38. York. If you like place names or last names as first names, consider the old-fashioned moniker York. This is a city in northern England that originally meant “yew.”

39. Youri. Pronounced YOO-ree, this is the Dutch and French form of Yuriy, the Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarussian forms of George, which means “farmer, earth worker.”

40. Yves. For a truly rare boy name that starts with Y, you’ve got Yves, the medieval French form of Ivo, a German name meaning “yew.” You’ll find several saints with the name Yves or Ives.

More Classic Y Boy Names

If you love these classic monikers, we’ve got more old-fashioned boy names beginning with Y:

Cool Y Names for Boys

Whether you’re looking for cool middle names for boys or a given name with a hip sound, the Ys sure deliver!

51. Yadon. With a cool-kid sound to it, this Y name for boys is the Hebrew form for Jadon, pronounced like Jayden. It can mean “thankful” or “he will judge.”

52. Yafe. This cool moniker is a gender-neutral name, specifically the unisex form of Yaffa, which means “beautiful.”

53. Yago. Yago is the Spanish form of James, which means “may God protect.” If you’re looking for Mexican baby names, Yago can be short for Santiago, which means “Saint James.”

54. Yahui. This Chinese name is pronounced YAH-KHWAY and combines the elements that mean “elegant, refined” and “favor benefit.”

55. Yahveh. If you like the name Yahweh but would like to put a cool twist on it, try Yahveh, the theological version of the moniker used for the Hebrew God.

56. Yash. A Sanskrit name, Yash is both a cool-sounding boys’ name starting with Y and comes with a sweet meaning. It means “fame, praise, glory.”

57. Yaw. This cool male name is one that starts with Y and has a very literal meaning. In Western African and Akan languages, it means “born on Thursday.”

58. Yoel. Yoel is both the Hebrew and Spanish form of the cool-guy name Joel, which means “Yahweh is God.”

59. Yohan. If you’re looking for French baby boy names, Yohan is an excellent choice. It’s the French form of Johann.

60. Yolotl. This Indigenous American name comes from the Nahuatl language and comes with a pretty cool meaning: “heart, spirit.”

More Cool Y Names for Boys

There’s even more hip and cool-sounding guy names that start with Y:

Hebrew Boy Names That Start With Y

As you may have already noticed from our list of baby boy names that start with Y, many of them come from Hebrew. If you’re looking for biblical baby names, it appears that the letter Y is a good choice!

71. Yamin. As the Hebrew form of Jamin, this name means “right hand.” In the Bible, Yamin was the name of Simeon’s son.

72. Yaron. For a cute Hebrew name, consider Yaron, which means “to sing, to shout.” You can also spell it Jaron.

73. Yechezkel. As the Hebrew form of Ezekiel, Yechezkel means “God will strengthen.” Ezekiel was an important prophet in the Old Testament.

74. Yehudah. You’ll find this name with a variant spelling (Yehuda) on this list already, but for the more traditional Hebrew spelling, you have Yehudah. As a form of Judah, the name means “praise.”

75. Yered. If you’re looking for the Hebrew version of Jared, you’ve got Yered, which means “descent.”

76. Yitzhak. This Hebrew name has a cute sound to it and is a form of Isaac, which has a very sweet meaning: “he will laugh, he will rejoice.”

77. Yo’ash. As the Hebrew form of Joash, Yo’ash comes with the powerful meaning of “fire of Yahweh.” Many characters in the Bible had this name, including one of the kings of Judah.

78. Yoav. The biblical name Joab means “Yahweh is father,” and Yoav is the Hebrew form of the name. In the Bible, Joab (Yoav) was the commander of King David’s army.

79. Yorah. This name is simply the Hebrew form of Jorah, which is one of those boys’ name starting with Y that comes with a sweet meaning. Yorah means “he teaches” or “rain.”

80. Yuval. For another nature-inspired name, consider Yuval, the Hebrew form of Jubal, which means “stream.” If you like names connected to the natural world, you might enjoy Hawaiian boy names!

More Hebrew Boy Names That Start With Y

There’s really no shortage of Hebrew and biblical boy names that start with the letter Y, so here are some more:

Cute Boy Names That Start With Y

Whether cute sounds or a moniker with a cute meaning, there are lots of adorable boy names that start with Y to give you your sweetness fill!

91. Yaffe. This cute Hebrew name is simply an alternate spelling of Yafe, the masculine form of Yaffa, meaning “beautiful.”

92. Yağız. Both cute and popular in Turkey, this Turkish name means “brown, chestnut,” so it’s perfect for a brunette baby boy!

93. Yahya. If you want to make the name John as adorable as possible, go with Yahya, the Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of the classic. John means, “Yahweh is gracious.”

94. Yair. Sometimes, something short does the trick for cute boy names that start with any letter, including Y! Yair is the Hebrew and Spanish form of Jair, which has the super-cute meaning of “he shines.”

95. Yanni. A Greek name, Yanni is a diminutive of Yiannis, another form of John, so it also means “Yahweh is gracious.”

96. Yasen. Possibly the cutest name on the list, this Bulgarian moniker has two meanings: “ash tree” and “clear, serene.”

97. Yedidya. This cute-sounding name is the modern Hebrew form of the biblical name Jedidiah, which means “beloved of Yahweh.”

98. Yeong-Ho. As a Korean name, you have quite a few options for meanings, and all are adorable. Yeong can mean “flower, petal” or “brave, hero,” or it could also mean “reflect light” or “dive, swim.” Ho can mean “great, numerous” or “bright, luminous.”

99. Ylli. Another contender for the cutest name on this list, Ylli is Albanian and means “star.” Of course, your little guy will be a shining star!

100. Yolotzin. OK, we may have a final winner for the cutest baby boy name that starts with Y! An Indigenous American name, Yolotzin means “beloved heart” in Nahuatl.

More Cute Boy Names That Start With Y

Keep the adorableness going with more cute baby boy names that start with Y:

Short and Long Y Names for Boys

Short baby names are fun and snappy, whereas longer monikers offer a sense of prestige. If you like either idea, we found plenty of long and short Y names for boys.

111. Yamikani. This Southern African name means “be grateful, praise” in Chewa. So, not only is it a long name, it’s also very sweet.

112. Yao. In Western Africa, the name Yao is a form of Yaw in the Ewe language. If you’re reading this list in full, you may remember that Yaw has a very literal meaning: “born on Thursday.”

113. Yemelyan. Another long option, this is a rare Russian form of the Italian boys’ name Emiliano, which means “rival” in Latin.

114. Yerachme’el. As far as long baby names go, we may have a winner here! This is the Hebrew form of Jerahmeel, which means “God will have pity.”

115. Yima. Short and unique, Yima is a name that comes from Persian Mythology as a form of Jam, which means “twin.”

116.Yin. A short Chinese name, Yin has a few meanings: “silver, money,” “sound, tone,” or “shade, shelter” and “protect.”

117. Yoni. Yoni is a short and cute nickname for Yonatan, the Hebrew form of Jonathan, which means “Yahweh has given.”

118. Yuhanna. Another way to put a spin on the classic moniker John is with Yuhanna, the Arabic form of the Greek name Ioannes. John means, “Yahweh is gracious.”

119. Yuli. Short and a cute option for boy names that start with Y, Yuli is an alternative to Yuliy, a form of Julius. Many believe that Julius connects to the Roman name Jupiter, which eventually relates to Zeus, meaning “father.”

120. Yvo. Yvo is the Dutch variant of Ivo, a common name in several European languages. It comes from a Germanic element meaning “yew.”

More Short and Long Y Names for Boys

Here are even more short and long baby boy names that start with Y:

Powerful Boy Names That Start With Y

With the help of the letter Y, you have plenty of powerful boy names. Some have strong meanings, whereas others simply have a powerful sound to them.

131. Yaroslav. This powerful name comes from Slavic elements to create the meaning “fierce, energetic” and “glory.”

132. Yam. Powerful and unique, Yam comes from Semitic mythology and means “sea” in reference to the Ugaritic god of the sea.

133. Yaropolk. A rare name, Yaropulk comes from Slavic to mean “fierce, energetic” and “people.”

134. Yiğit. For simple, strong, and powerful boy name that starts with Y, consider Yiğit, which simply means “brave” in Turkish.

135. Yeray. A Spanish name from the Canary Islands, Yeray is believed to originate from a place name meaning “big, grand.”

136. Yeruslan. Yeruslan is an excellent option for fairy tale baby names, as it comes from Russian and Tatar folklore and means “lion.” Yeruslan Lazarevich was the name of a legendary hero in these stories, which were based on Persian fairy tales.

137. Yōta. In Japanese, this name combines the meaning “light, sun” with “big, great.” Of course, other character combinations are possible, but this interpretation creates quite the strong boys’ name starting with Y. It’s pronounced YO-ta.

138. Yıldırım. Another powerful Turkish name, Yıldırım simply means “lightning.”

139. Yong. Both Chinese and Korean, Yong has quite a powerful meaning. In Chinese, it means “brave” or “perpetual, eternal,” and in Korean, it can mean “brave.”

140. Yngvi. In Norse Mythology, Yngvi was an alternate name for the god Freyr. Because he was related to the Swedish royal family, this is a good option for royal baby names!

Powerful Boy Names That Start With Y

We’ve kept the list going with more strong and powerful boy names beginning with Y:

Even More Boy Names That Start With Y

Believe it or not, there are even more male names that start with Y, and we’ve included 50 more strong, unique, cute, and classic monikers to suit your new baby boy!

The Bottom Line

You probably won’t find many of the most popular names for boys starting with Y, but you will find some pretty cute options, like Yale, Yoshi, and Yonah! We hope this list helped you narrow down your choices, as the letter Y offers a surprising number of unique and interesting guy names, but you can keep the alphabet and baby-naming inspiration going with boy names that start with Z!