Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
Cool Baby Names That Start with U
Across 3 pages
of 3
About this list
Are there any cool baby names that start with U? It’s the most underused first initial of the baby naming alphabet! Only three U names rank in the US Top 1000, and all for boys — Uriel, Uriah, and Ulises. Ironically, the most common girl name beginning with U is Unique. There are many cool international names that begin with U, such as the Teutonic Udella, Chinese Ushi, and Xhosa Unathi. A number of interesting place names start with U, such as Utah, Umbria, and Urbana. So yes, there are some cool baby names that start with U. Namely:
The names
Uriel
Hebrew
"God is my light, God is my flame"
The name of the archangel in Rabbinic and Russian Orthodox tradition, Uriel is associated with truth, wisdom, and light. Also appearing in medieval literature, the name shares a similar meaning to…
Uriah
Hebrew
"God is my light"
A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield . Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine.…
Uda
Teutonic
"wealthy"
One of several three-letter U-a names -- Uda, Ula, Uma, Una -- take your pick.
Uduak
Ibibio
"will, desire"
Uduak is a name from the Ibibio language, native to Southern Nigeria.
Ugo
Italian variation of Hugh, Igbo
"mind, intellect; eagle"
Ugo is a familiar choice in Italy and France, where it is used as variation of Hugh or Hugo, but also in Nigeria, where it means "eagle" in Igbo.
Uilleam
Scottish variation of William
Most Americans would take the easy way out and spell it Willem, as in artist de Kooning and actor Dafoe.
Ulema
Ulema is an uncommon feminine name with Arabic roots. In its original context, 'ulema' refers to scholars, particularly Islamic religious scholars, being the plural form of 'alim' (learned one).…
Umber
Color name
A rich brown hue, but can be misheard as Amber, said with a pretentious accent.
Ulesi
Ulesi is a masculine name with African origins, primarily found in certain East African cultures. Though relatively uncommon in global usage, the name carries distinctive cultural significance in its…
Ulla
Scandinavian
"will, determination"
Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its…
Ulric
English variation of Ulrich and Wulfric, German
"rich and noble heritage; wolf power"
Also related to the word for wolf, this name has a first syllable that's not appealing to the American ear. Better ic-ending choices: Dominic, Frederic, Eric.
Ultima
Latin, Italian
"last"
An uncommon Latin and Italian name which would make a fitting choice for a final baby – but be aware that many would associate it with the cosmetics brand or the Ultimo brand of lingerie.
Ulysses
Latin variation of Odysseus, Greek
"wrathful"
Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey , the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which…
Uma
Sanskrit, Hebrew
"light, peace, nation"
Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity. Uma is one of the more…
Umayma
Variation of Umama, Arabic
"little mother"
An attractive possibility among girl names starting with U , borne by the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad.
Ulan
Filipino
"rain"
Ulan is a gentle, intriguing nature name used in the Philippines, though it might also be a Kazakh name meaning "young man", a Ghanaian name referring to a first born twin, or a Russian name, from…
Umberto
Italian variation of Humbert
"renowned warrior"
A definite improvement over the English Humbert, Umberto has nevertheless been rarely heard outside the Italian community. The writer-semiotician Umberto Eco is a noteworthy namesake.
Umbria
Italian place name, from the Umbri, one of the chief tribes settling the Italian nation
Umbria is a lovely, virtually unused Italian name for girls , reflecting the beautiful rolling hills of the area's countryside. And since it's right next door to Tuscany, in which Siena resides,…
Umbrielle
Latin
"one in the shadow"
Pretty French sound, but there might be a lot of "umbrella" cracks.
Udella
Udella is a rare feminine name with uncertain origins. It may be a variant of Udele or a feminine form of Udell, which has Germanic roots meaning "wealthy estate" or "prosperous valley." The name…