The first name Yu
A unisex name from Japanese.
Pronounced /ˈju/ 1 syllable Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Japanese origin
Transliteration: * (Mandarin): From Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin (for: ㄩˊ, ㄩˇ, ㄩˋ, ㄧㄡˊ) (余, 于, 由 (yóu), 魚 /鱼 (yú) / 鱼 (yú), 漁 /渔 (yú), 渔 (yú), 楀 (yǔ), 俞, 喻, 兪, 於 /于, 遇 (yù), 虞 (yú), 郁 (yù), 尉, 禹 (yǔ), 游 (yóu), 尤 (yóu), 庾 (yǔ), 娛 /娱, 娱, 茹) * (Korean): From Korean 유 (yu) or 류 (ryu) (柳, 劉, 兪, 庾) * (Japanese): From Japanese ゆう or ユウ (優, 夕, 友, 有, 勇, 祐, 裕, 雄, 悠, 由宇, 侑)
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 3 boys were named Yu, making it the 5,137th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2009, with 35 births (#809).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Yu with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Yu at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 9 boys born in the United States were named Yu, the 8,892nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2007, when 23 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Yu
26 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Han YuChinese historian, poet, philosopher and politician (768–824)
- Guan YuChinese general serving warlord Liu Bei (160-220)
- Xiang YuChinese military leader, -231–-201
- Li YuChinese writer（1611–1680）
- Ruan LingyuChinese silent film actress, 1910–1935
- Zhou YuChinese military general and strategist (175-210)
- Jimmy Wang YuChinese-Taiwanese actor and filmmaker (1943-2022)
- Yu DengChinese mathematician, born 1989
- Gao YuChinese dissident journalist (born 1944)
- Yang YuChinese swimmer, born 1985
- Xie YuChinese sports shooter (born 2000)
- Yu MengyuChinese-born Singaporean table tennis player, born 1989
More Japanese unisex names
Questions
- What does the name Yu mean?
- Transliteration: * (Mandarin): From Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin (for: ㄩˊ, ㄩˇ, ㄩˋ, ㄧㄡˊ) (余, 于, 由 (yóu), 魚 /鱼 (yú) / 鱼 (yú), 漁 /渔 (yú), 渔 (yú), 楀 (yǔ), 俞, 喻, 兪, 於 /于, 遇 (yù), 虞 (yú), 郁 (yù), 尉, 禹 (yǔ), 游 (yóu), 尤 (yóu), 庾 (yǔ), 娛 /娱, 娱, 茹) * (Korean): From Korean 유 (yu)…
- What is the origin of the name Yu?
- Transliteration: * (Mandarin): From Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin (for: ㄩˊ, ㄩˇ, ㄩˋ, ㄧㄡˊ) (余, 于, 由 (yóu), 魚 /鱼 (yú) / 鱼 (yú), 漁 /渔 (yú), 渔 (yú), 楀 (yǔ), 俞, 喻, 兪, 於 /于, 遇 (yù), 虞 (yú), 郁 (yù), 尉, 禹 (yǔ), 游 (yóu), 尤 (yóu), 庾 (yǔ), 娛 /娱, 娱, 茹) * (Korean): From Korean 유 (yu) or 류 (ryu) (柳, 劉, 兪,…
- How popular is the name Yu?
- In 2025, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Yu, ranking 5,137th. Its peak was 2009, with 35 births.
- Is Yu a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 830 US babies named Yu since 1880, 46% were girls and 54% boys.
- When was Yu most popular?
- 2007 in the United States, when 23 babies were named Yu, its highest rank at 6,079th.
- How do you pronounce Yu?
- Yu is /ˈju/, one syllable.
- Is Yu also a surname?
- Yes. Yu is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.