On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler and clear up the issue.

Yancy has two separate American origins — first as the Native American term for "Yankee," and second as the Americanized variation of the common Dutch surname Jansen. Jan being the Dutch form of John, Yancy could work to honor anyone in your life with a John-related name.

Short yet impactful, this Japanese name with has two appealing meanings, depending on which kanji are used. It may be associated with joy, or with a wintery scene.

Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago, but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.

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

Brisk, preppy York is an underused classic with the potential to really shine in the 21st century. It's most familiar as a place name — York is a city in England — and surname. New York City and State were named after the Duke of York.

This might be a better choice than the similarly pronounced Jan, to avoid gender confusion.

Yannick originated as a diminutive of Yann, the Breton form of John. However, it has since become popular as a standalone name in its native region of Brittany, as well as in France as a whole, where it peaked at #31 in 1973-4. It remains well within the Top 500 in France to this day, and has also seen regular use in Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Quebec.

A classic Japanese name known to kids around the world as a Nintendo video-game character.

Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph, used in the Middle East, as well as internationally from France and the US, to the UK, Turkey and Azerbaijan - where, as of 2023, it ranked in the Top 100.

A fancy TV western name that didn't catch on like fellow cowboys Luke and Josh, but definitely has a certain amount of charm. It is also spelled Yancy, as in the 1950s series Yancy Derringer. It was first spotted in the Edna Ferber novel Cimarron, which became a popular movie.

This name, which is the Spanish version of the Hebrew name of one of the archangels, Yehudiel, appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2008 and has been on and off the charts since. Angel-esque boy names ending in L are especially stylish right now, meaning we may see Yadiel continue to climb.

An alternative transcription of Yūto, a Japanese name that has a variety of meanings, depending on which kanji combinations are used. Possibilities include: "gentle person", "excellent, superior person", "permanent soaring", "dream + constellation", "courageous person", and "brave flight". Notable bearers include footballer Yūto Nagatomo, singer and rapper Yuto Adachi, and skateboarder Yuto Horigome.

Yuji is among the most common male names in Japan, in part due to its positive meaning. Americans may recognize it from the anime series Jujustu Kaisen as the name of the humanistic and compassionate protagonist.

Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achilles, who was said to carry yarrow into battle.

In the Japanese culture, this name suggests a sense of independence and is one of the popular names for December babies.

A possible Christmas name for a baby boy, if you find Noel too mundane. But we fear it doesn't sound very festive.

An appellation that couldn't be more Ivy League or sound less Welsh. The name of the University is taken from the surname of college benefactor Elihu Yale. In the movie Manhattan, Yale Pollack is the name of Woody Allen's best friend. The Hebrew Yael is not related.

Names that end in I are hot right now, but Yari has yet to be discovered. It's a unisex name more common among girls, perhaps due to its similarity to Yara.

Featured in several anime series, including Black Clover and To Love-Ru.