Yasuke was the first African samurai in Japan, who served as a retainer under Oda Nobunaga. He arrived in Japan in 1579 with Portuguese Jesuits and Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Nobunaga took a special interest in Yasuke, who joined his force.

The Hebrew variation of Jonathan, occasionally heard in the US.

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

An auspicious name for a first-born son with Japanese heritage. Some may be familiar with the name Yuichi from the anime series Kanon.

Yee is related to the surname Yu, a romanization of several Chinese characters. Yu is an ancient Chinese family name, one borne by the legendary Emperor Shun.

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

Ysai is a less-known variation of the popular Isaiah.

Jonathan variation that is common among Jewish baby boys in Israel.

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.

The evocative name of one of our most beautiful national parks -- yes, but also the bombastic cartoon character, Yosemite Sam.

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

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.

Yuta Okkotsu is a major character in the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. The kanji used in the Japanese manga give his name the meaning "grief," in reference to the loss of his dear childhood friend, Rika. In practice, men who bear this name use the kanji meaning "gentle."

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.