The letter “Y” brings a youthful, energetic, and undeniably cool vibe to American boy names. These names often have an international flair, drawing from Hebrew, Welsh, and Native American origins, or they possess a sleek, modern sound. “Y” names are distinctive yet approachable, offering a perfect blend of uniqueness and friendly charm for a modern son.
This curated list features over 100 cool American baby boy names starting with Y. Each name is chosen for its stylish sound, positive meaning, and contemporary appeal.
The Ultimate List of Cool “Y” Names for American Boys
Page Contents
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Yad – “Hand” – A short, strong Hebrew name.
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Yadin – “He will judge” – A Hebrew name.
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Yadon – A rare Hebrew name.
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Yadiel – “God has heard” – A melodic Hebrew name.
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Yael – “Mountain goat” – A Hebrew name, traditionally feminine but used for boys.
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Yafet – A variant of Japheth.
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Yagil – “He will rejoice” – A Hebrew name.
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Yago – The Spanish form of James (Diego).
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Yah – A very short Hebrew name (part of Yahweh).
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Yahaira – A name of uncertain origin, used for boys.
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Yahweh – The biblical name for God, extremely rare as a given name.
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Yair – “He will enlighten” – A short, strong Hebrew name.
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Yakez – A very rare name.
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Yaki – A diminutive of Jacob or a standalone name.
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Yale – “Fertile upland” – A prestigious university and surname-name.
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Yam – “Sea” – A short Hebrew nature name.
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Yama – “Twin” or “restrainer” – A Sanskrit name (also a Buddhist figure).
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Yamil – “Handsome” – An Arabic name.
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Yan – The Chinese form of John or a Slavic name.
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Yancy – “Englishman” – A surname-name with a Southern feel.
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Yane – A rare name.
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Yanek – A Polish diminutive of Jan.
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Yang – “Sun, positive” – A Chinese element and surname.
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Yanis – The Greek form of John.
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Yank – An old nickname for a Yankee (American).
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Yankel – A Yiddish form of Jacob.
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Yanni – A Greek diminutive of John.
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Yannick – A Breton and French diminutive of John.
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Yannik – A variant of Yannick.
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Yanuel – A modern invented name.
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Yao – A name of Chinese and African (Ewe) origin.
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Yaotl – “Warrior” – A Nahuatl (Aztec) name.
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Yaphet – A variant of Japheth.
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Yaqoob – The Arabic form of Jacob.
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Yard – A very short, rare surname.
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Yarden – The Hebrew form of Jordan.
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Yardley – “Fenced meadow” – An English surname.
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Yared – A variant of Jared.
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Yareth – A very rare name.
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Yari – “Water” – A Native American (Taíno) name.
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Yarik – A Russian diminutive of Yary.
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Yaroslav – “Fierce and glorious” – A Slavic name.
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Yaron – “He will sing” – A Hebrew name.
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Yaropolk – An ancient Slavic name.
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Yarrow – A healing herb, a nature name.
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Yas – A very short name.
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Yaser – “Wealthy” – An Arabic name.
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Yash – “Fame” – A Sanskrit name.
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Yashar – “Upright, honest” – A Hebrew name.
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Yasin – A chapter in the Quran, an Arabic name.
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Yasir – “Wealthy” – An Arabic name.
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Yasser – A variant of Yasir.
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Yasu – “Peaceful, calm” – A Japanese name.
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Yates – “Gates” – A sleek English surname-name.
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Yatin – “Ascetic” – A Sanskrit name.
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Yavuz – “Fierce” – A Turkish name.
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Yaw – “Born on Thursday” – An Akan (Ghanaian) name.
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Yaz – A very short, cool nickname.
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Yazan – “Determined, resolved” – An Arabic name.
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Yazid – “Increasing” – An Arabic name.
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Yazz – A cool, stylized variant of Yaz.
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Ye – A very short Chinese surname or name.
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Yeb – A very short, rare name.
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Yechiel – “May God live” – A Hebrew name.
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Yed – A very short, rare name.
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Yedid – “Friend” – A Hebrew name.
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Yedidia – “Friend of God” – A Hebrew name.
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Yee – A Chinese surname.
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Yeh – A very short name.
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Yehezkel – The Hebrew form of Ezekiel.
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Yehiel – “God lives” – A Hebrew name.
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Yehuda – “Praised” – The Hebrew form of Judah.
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Yehudi – “Jew” – A Hebrew name.
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Yek – A very short, rare name.
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Yel – A very short, rare name.
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Yeltsin – A Russian surname.
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Yem – A very short, rare name.
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Yen – “Calm” – A Vietnamese name, or the Japanese currency.
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Yeniel – A modern invented name.
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Yeo – An English surname.
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Yeoman – “Attendant” – An English occupational surname.
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Yered – A variant of Jared.
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Yerik – A variant of Eric or a modern name.
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Yern – A very rare name.
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Yes – A positive, bold word name.
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Yesenia – A name of Spanish origin, occasionally used for boys.
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Yesha – “Salvation” – A Hebrew name (short for Yeshayahu/Isaiah).
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Yeshua – “Salvation” – The Hebrew form of Joshua/Jesus.
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Yestin – The Welsh form of Justin.
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Yet – A very short, rare name.
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Yeu – A very short, rare name.
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Yeud – A very rare name.
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Yev – A very short, rare name.
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Yevgeni – The Russian form of Eugene.
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Yex – A very short, rare name.
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Yey – A very short, rare name.
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Yez – A very short, rare name.
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Ygg – From Yggdrasil, the Norse world tree.
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Ygo – A very rare name.
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Ygor – A variant of Igor.
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Yh – A very short abbreviation.
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Yi – A Chinese surname or name element.
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Yianni – A Greek variant of John.
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Yic – A very short, rare name.
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Yid – A very short, rare name.
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Yidel – A Yiddish diminutive.
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Yiftach – The Hebrew form of Jephthah.
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Yig – A very short, rare name.
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Yigal – “He will redeem” – A Hebrew name.
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Yigil – A very rare name.
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Yih – A very short, rare name.
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Yij – A very short, rare name.
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Yik – A very short, rare name.
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Yim – A very short, rare name.
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Yin – “Silver” or the passive feminine principle in Chinese philosophy – a unisex name.
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Yinon – “He will flourish” – A Hebrew name.
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Yiorgos – The Greek form of George.
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Yip – A Chinese surname.
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Yir – A very short, rare name.
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Yis – A very short, rare name.
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Yishai – The Hebrew form of Jesse.
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Yisrael – The Hebrew form of Israel.
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Yit – A very short, rare name.
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Yitz – A short form of Yitzhak.
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Yitzhak – “He will laugh” – The Hebrew form of Isaac.
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Yiv – A very short, rare name.
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Yix – A very short, rare name.
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Yiz – A very short, rare name.
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Yk – A very short abbreviation.
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Yl – A very short abbreviation.
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Ylan – A very rare name.
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Ylek – A very rare name.
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Ylio – A very rare name.
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Ym – A very short abbreviation.
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Yn – A very short abbreviation.
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Yo – A very short, cool exclamation name.
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Yoab – A biblical name (Joab).
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Yoakim – A variant of Joachim.
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Yoan – The Bulgarian form of John.
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Yoann – The French form of John.
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Yoas – A biblical name (Joash).
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Yoav – The Hebrew form of Joab.
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Yob – A very short, rare name.
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Yobachi – An African name.
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Yobi – A very rare name.
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Yoc – A very short, rare name.
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Yock – A very rare name.
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Yod – The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
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Yoda – The iconic Star Wars Jedi Master.
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Yodel – From the singing style.
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Yoe – A very short, rare name.
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Yoel – The Hebrew and Spanish form of Joel.
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Yoetz – “Advisor” – A Hebrew name.
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Yog – A very short, rare name.
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Yogi – “One who practices yoga” – A Sanskrit name, famous from Yogi Berra.
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Yohan – The French and Scandinavian form of John.
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Yohance – “God’s gift” – A name of African origin.
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Yohanes – The Indonesian form of John.
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Yohann – A variant of Johan.
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Yohannes – The Ethiopian form of John.
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Yohannus – A very rare variant.
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Yoi – A very short, rare name.
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Yoji – A Japanese name.
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Yojimbo – “Bodyguard” – A Japanese word, famous from the film.
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Yok – A very short, rare name.
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Yoke – A very rare name.
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Yokel – A rare surname.
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Yok – Repeated.
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Yol – A very short, rare name.
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Yolo – “You Only Live Once” – A modern acronym name.
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Yom – “Day” – A Hebrew word name.
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Yomar – A modern invented name.
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Yon – A very short name.
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Yona – “Dove” – The Hebrew form of Jonah.
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Yonah – The Hebrew form of Jonah.
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Yonas – The Ethiopian form of Jonah.
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Yonatan – The Hebrew form of Jonathan.
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Yonaton – A variant of Yonatan.
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Yone – A very rare name.
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Yonex – A brand name.
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Yong – “Brave” – A Chinese and Korean name.
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Yoni – A Hebrew nickname for Yonatan.
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Yoniel – A modern invented name.
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Yonis – A Somali name.
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Yonit – A Hebrew name, traditionally feminine.
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Yont – A very rare name.
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Yony – A very rare name.
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Yoo – A Korean surname.
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Yor – A very short, rare name.
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Yoram – “The Lord is exalted” – A Hebrew name.
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Yordan – The Bulgarian form of Jordan.
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Yordon – A variant of Jordan.
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Yori – A Japanese name meaning “trust.”
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York – “Yew-tree estate” – A cool, historic English place-name.
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Yorlin – A very rare name.
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Yorm – A very rare name.
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Yorn – A very rare name.
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Yorrick – A variant of Yorick.
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Yos – A very short, rare name.
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Yoseb – The Georgian form of Joseph.
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Yosef – The Hebrew form of Joseph.
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Yosh – A short form of Japanese names like Yoshio.
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Yoshi – “Good, respectful” – A Japanese name.
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Yoshio – “Good man” – A Japanese name.
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Yosiah – A variant of Josiah.
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Yosif – The Bulgarian and Russian form of Joseph.
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Yosip – A variant of Joseph.
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Yoska – A Hungarian diminutive of Joseph.
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Yoss – A short form of Yosef.
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Yossi – The affectionate Hebrew diminutive of Yosef.
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Yost – A German and Dutch form of Joseph.
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Yot – A very short, rare name.
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Yotam – The Hebrew form of Jotham.
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Yotann – A very rare name.
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You – A very short, rare name.
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Youn – A Korean name element.
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Younes – The Arabic form of Jonah.
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Younis – A variant of Younes.
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Young – The word, a common Korean surname and descriptive name.
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Your – A very rare word name.
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Yous – A very short, rare name.
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Yousef – The Arabic and Persian form of Joseph.
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Yousif – A variant of Yousef.
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Yousri – An Arabic name.
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Youssou – An African form of Joseph.
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Yov – A very short, rare name.
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Yovani – A variant of Giovanni.
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Yovanny – A variant of Giovanni.
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Yow – A very short, rare name.
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Yox – A very short, rare name.
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Yoy – A very short, rare name.
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Yoz – A very short, rare name.
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Yp – A very short abbreviation.
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Yq – A very short abbreviation.
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Yr – A very short abbreviation.
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Yria – A very rare name.
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Yriel – A very rare name.
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Yrm – A very short, rare name.
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Ys – A very short abbreviation.
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Ysabel – An archaic Spanish form of Isabel, historically unisex.
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Ysbrand – A Dutch name.
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Yse – A very rare name.
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Yser – A river in Belgium.
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Ysidro – The Spanish form of Isidore.
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Yso – A very rare name.
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Yt – A very short abbreviation.
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Ytz – A very short, rare name.
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Yu – A Chinese surname or name.
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Yuan – “Round, circle” – A Chinese name.
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Yub – A very short, rare name.
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Yuc – A very short, rare name.
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Yud – A very short, rare name.
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Yudi – A variant of Judy or a modern name.
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Yue – “Moon” – A Chinese name.
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Yuf – A very short, rare name.
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Yug – A very short, rare name.
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Yuh – A very short, rare name.
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Yui – A Japanese name.
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Yuji – A Japanese name.
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Yujin – A Japanese and Korean name.
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Yuk – A very short, rare name.
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Yuki – “Snow” – A Japanese name.
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Yukio – “God’s hero” – A Japanese name.
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Yul – The stage name of actor Yul Brynner.
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Yule – The Christmas season, a festive name.
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Yulian – The Russian form of Julian.
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Yuma – “Son of the chief” – A Native American (Quechan) name, also a city in Arizona.
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Yum – A very short, rare name.
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Yun – “Lotus” – A Chinese and Korean name.
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Yung – A variant of Yong.
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Yunis – A variant of Younes.
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Yup – A very short, affirmative word name.
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Yur – A very short, rare name.
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Yuri – “Farmer” – The Russian form of George.
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Yury – A variant of Yuri.
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Yus – A very short, rare name.
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Yusef – A variant of Yousef.
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Yush – A very short, rare name.
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Yusif – A variant of Yousef.
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Yussef – A variant of Yousef.
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Yussi – A Finnish diminutive of Jussi (Joseph).
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Yusuf – The Turkish and Urdu form of Joseph.
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Yut – A very short, rare name.
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Yuta – A Japanese name.
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Yuth – A very short, rare name.
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Yuu – A Japanese name.
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Yuvan – “Youthful” – A Sanskrit name.
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Yuv – A very short, rare name.
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Yuval – “Stream” – A Hebrew name.
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Yuvraj – “Prince” – A Sanskrit name.
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Yux – A very short, rare name.
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Yuy – A very short, rare name.
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Yuz – A very short, rare name.
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Yvan – The French form of Ivan.
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Yve – A very short, rare name.
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Yvel – A very rare name.
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Yven – A very rare name.
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Yves – “Yew” – A sleek French name.
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Yvette – Historically a masculine diminutive of Yves.
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Yvo – A variant of Yves.
Why Choose a Cool “Y” Name for Your Son?
“Y” names are inherently youthful, yes, and cool. They often sound international, modern, and full of energy. They can be short and punchy (Yale, Yair, York), melodically Hebrew (Yonatan, Yosef, Yuval), or carry a laid-back, modern vibe (Yates, Yael, Yoshi). A cool “Y” name sets your son apart with a distinctive yet friendly and approachable identity.
Final Thoughts
A “Y” name is a choice that feels both fresh and substantial. The right one will have a great sound and a meaning you connect with. A name like Yale suggests prestige and intellect, Yosef carries deep biblical heritage, and York feels historical and strong. Whether you choose the Hebrew classic Yonatan, the Native American Yuma, or the simple, cool York, a wonderful “Y” name is a gift of character and distinctive style.
