Names Sounding like *(k)

This is a list of names in which the sound is *(k).
gender
usage
sound
Volkan m Turkish
Means "volcano" in Turkish.
Volkmar m German
Derived from the Old German element folk "people" combined with mari "famous".
Volodymyr m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Vladimir.
Voltaire m History
Pen name of François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), a French philosopher and writer, the author of Candide. It is not known how Arouet devised his name. He may have reversed the syllables of Airvault, a town where his family owned property; it may have been an anagram of the Latin spelling of his surname Arovet and LI standing for le jeune "the young"; or it may have come from French volontaire "determined".
Vortigern m History
English form of Gwrtheyrn.
Vratislav m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements vortiti (Czech vrátit) meaning "to return" and slava meaning "glory". This was the name of two dukes of Bohemia (the second later a king).
Vsevolod m Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic elements vĭśĭ "all" and volděti "to rule". This was the name of an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv.
Vuk m Serbian
Means "wolf" in Serbian.
Vulcan m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Vulcanus, possibly related to fulgere meaning "to flash", but more likely of pre-Latin origin. In Roman mythology Vulcan was the god of fire. He was later equated with the Greek god Hephaestus.
Vyacheslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Veceslav (see Václav).
Vytautas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root vyd- "to see" or vyti "to chase, to drive away" combined with tauta "people, nation". This was the name of a 15th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania, revered as a national hero in that country.
Wacław m Polish
Polish form of Václav.
Wade m English
From an English surname, either Wade 1 or Wade 2.
Wadud m Arabic
Means "lover, affectionate" in Arabic, from the root ودّ (wadda) meaning "to love". In Islamic tradition الودود (al-Wadūd) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Wael m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وائل (see Wail).
Waheed m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic وحيد or Urdu وحید (see Wahid).
Wahid m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian
Means "peerless, unique" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الوحيد (al-Waḥīd) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Wail m Arabic
Possibly means "refuge, shelter" in Arabic.
Waldek m Polish
Polish diminutive of Waldemar.
Waldemar m German, Polish, Germanic
From the Old German elements walt "power, authority" and mari "famous", also used as a translation of the Slavic cognate Vladimir.
Waleed m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وليد (see Walid).
Walerian m Polish
Polish form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Walid m Arabic
Means "newborn" in Arabic, derived from ولد (walada) meaning "to give birth". This was the name of the Umayyad caliph who conquered Spain in the 8th century.
Walker m English
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".
Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.
Wallis m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Wallace. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.
Walt m English
Short form of Walter. A famous bearer was the American animator and filmmaker Walt Disney (1901-1966).
Wálter m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese variant form of Walter, more common in South America than Europe. It is often written without the diacritic.
Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.... [more]
Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".
Waltraud f German
From the Old German elements walt "power, authority" and drud "strength". This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint who founded a convent near Mons, Belgium.
Waltraut f German
Variant of Waltraud.
Waqar m Arabic, Urdu
Means "majesty, dignity" in Arabic.
Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".
Ward 2 m Dutch
Short form of Eduard.
Warner m English
From a Norman surname that was derived from the given name Werner.
Warren m English
From an English surname that was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "animal enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Warrick m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Warwick.
Warwick m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a town in England, itself from Old English wer "weir, dam" and wic "settlement".
Washington m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian)
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town, itself meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people". The given name is usually given in honour of George Washington (1732-1799), commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States.
Wasi m Arabic
Means "broad-minded, liberal, learned" in Arabic.
Wasim m Arabic
Means "handsome" in Arabic, related to the root وسم (wasama) meaning "to mark, to distinguish".
Wassim m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وسيم (see Wasim).
Wat m English
Medieval short form of Walter.
Watson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.
Wawrzyniec m Polish
Polish form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Wayland m English, Anglo-Saxon Mythology
From Old English Weland, probably derived from the Germanic root *wīlą meaning "craft, cunning". In Germanic legend Weland (called Vǫlundr in Old Norse) was a master smith and craftsman. He was captured and hamstrung by King Niðhad, but took revenge by killing the king's sons.
Waylon m English
Variant of Wayland. This name was popularized by country music singer Waylon Jennings (1937-2002), who was originally named Wayland.
Wayne m English
From an occupational surname meaning "wagon maker", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". Use of it as a given name can be partly attributed to the popularity of the actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Another famous bearer is Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky (1961-), generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Webster m English
From an occupational surname meaning "weaver", derived from Old English webba.
Wedad f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وداد (see Widad).
Wednesday f Popular Culture
From the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English wodnesdæg meaning "Woden's day". On the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line Wednesday's child is full of woe.
Wei m & f Chinese
From Chinese (wēi) meaning "power, pomp", (wēi) meaning "high, lofty, towering" or (wěi) meaning "great, robust, extraordinary". As a feminine name it can come from (wēi) meaning "small" or (wēi) meaning "fern". This name can be formed by other Chinese characters besides those shown here.
Weldon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill near a spring" in Old English.
Wells m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille.
Wen m & f Chinese
From Chinese (wén) meaning "literature, culture, writing", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (posthumous name).
Wenceslas m History
English form of Václav, via the Latinized form Venceslaus.
Wenceslaus m History
English form of Václav, via the Latinized form Venceslaus.
Wendel m & f Dutch (Rare), German (Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Old short form of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil meaning "a Vandal". The Vandals were a Germanic tribe who invaded Spain and North Africa in the 5th century. Their tribal name, which may mean "wanderer", has often been confused with that of the Wends, a Slavic people living between the Elbe and the Oder.... [more]
Wendelin m German, Germanic
Old diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil (see Wendel). Saint Wendelin was a 6th-century hermit of Trier in Germany.
Wendell m English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Wendel. In America this name has been given in honour of the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) and his son the Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935). The elder's middle name came from his mother's maiden name (which had been brought to America by a Dutch ancestor in the form Wendel, with the extra l added later).
Wenzel m German
German form of Václav.
Wenzeslaus m German (Rare)
German form of Václav, via the Latinized form Venceslaus.
Werner m German, Dutch
From an Old German name derived from the element warin, related to war meaning "aware, cautious", combined with heri meaning "army". This was the name of a 13th-century boy from Oberwesel, Germany who was formerly regarded as a saint. He is no longer recognized as such by the Church. Another famous bearer was the German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).
Wes m English
Short form of Wesley.
Wesam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وسام (see Wisam).
Wessel m Frisian, Dutch
Old Frisian diminutive of Werner.
Weston m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English west "west" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Wickaninnish m Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
Possibly means "having no one in front of him in the canoe" in Nuu-chah-nulth. This was the name of a chief of the Clayoquot in the late 18th century, at the time of European contact.
Widad f Arabic
Means "love" in Arabic, derived from the root ودّ (wadda) meaning "to love".
Wielisław m Polish (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements velĭ "great" and slava "glory".
Wiesław m Polish
Contracted form of Wielisław.
Wiktor m Polish
Polish form of Victor.
Wil m & f English, Dutch
Short form of William and other names beginning with Wil.
Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".
Wilbur m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
Wilburn m English
From an English surname that was probably originally derived from an unknown place name. The second element corresponds with Old English burne "stream".
Wilf m English
Short form of Wilfred.
Wilford m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "willow ford" in Old English.
Wilfred m English
Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Wilfrid m English
Variant of Wilfred.
Wilfried m German
German cognate of Wilfred.
Wilhelm m German, Polish, Germanic
German cognate of William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).
Wilhelmus m Dutch
Latinized form of Wilhelm. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Wiljafriþuz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Wilfrið and Willifrid.
Wiljahelmaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of William.
Will m English
Short form of William and other names beginning with Will. A famous bearer is American actor Will Smith (1968-), whose full name is Willard.
Willard m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Willihard (or the Old English cognate Wilheard).
Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
Willemijn f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
William m English
From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]
Willis m English
From an English surname that was derived from Will, a diminutive of William.
Wilmer m English, Spanish (Latin American), Swedish
From the Old English name Wilmǣr, likely via a surname that was derived from it. In some cases it might be regarded as a masculine form of Wilma.
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Wilt m English
Short form of Wilton. This name was borne by basketball player Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999).
Wilton m English
From a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Wiltrud f German
Derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and drud "strength". This name was borne by a 10th-century German saint from Bergen.
Wim m Dutch
Dutch short form of Willem.
Win m & f Burmese
Means "bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.
Windsor m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "riverbank with a windlass" in Old English (a windlass is a lifting apparatus). This has been the surname of the royal family of the United Kingdom since 1917.
Winfield m English
From a surname that originated from various English place names, themselves derived from Old English winn "meadow, pasture" and feld "field".
Winfred m English
Means "friend of peace" from the Old English elements wine "friend" and friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Winifred f English, Welsh
From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
Winston m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984.
Winter f English (Modern)
From the English word for the season, derived from Old English winter.
Winthrop m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from town names meaning either "Wine's village" or "Wigmund's village" in Old English.
Winton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "enclosure belonging to Wine" in Old English.
Wisam m Arabic
Means "badge, medal" in Arabic, derived from the root وسم (wasama) meaning "to mark, to distinguish".
Wisdom f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, a derivative of Old English wis "wise".
Wisław m Polish (Rare)
Contracted form of Witosław.
Wit m Polish
Polish form of Vitus.
Witold m Polish
Polish form of Vytautas. Alternatively it could be derived from the Old German name Widald.
Władek m Polish
Diminutive of Władysław.
Władysław m Polish
Polish form of Vladislav. This was the name of four kings of Poland.
Włodek m Polish
Diminutive of Włodzimierz.
Włodzimierz m Polish
Polish cognate of Vladimir.
Wodan m Germanic Mythology
Old High German form of *Wōdanaz (see Odin).
Woden m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Anglo-Saxon form of *Wōdanaz (see Odin). The day of the week Wednesday is named for him.
Wojciech m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements vojĭ "warrior, soldier" and utěxa "solace, comfort, joy". Saint Wojciech (also known by the Czech form of his name Vojtěch or his adopted name Adalbert) was a Bohemian missionary to Hungary, Poland and Prussia, where he was martyred in the 10th century.
Wojtek m Polish
Diminutive of Wojciech.
Wolf m German, Jewish, English (Rare), Germanic
Short form of Wolfgang, Wolfram and other names containing the Old German element wolf meaning "wolf" (Proto-Germanic *wulfaz). It can also be simply from the German or English word. As a Jewish name it can be considered a vernacular form of Zeev.
Wolfe m English (Rare)
Variant of Wolf, influenced by the spelling of the surname (which is also derived from the animal).
Wolfgang m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements wolf meaning "wolf" and gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).
Wolfhard m German
Derived from the Old German element wolf meaning "wolf" combined with hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Wolfram m German
Derived from the Old German element wolf meaning "wolf" combined with hram meaning "raven". Saint Wolfram (or Wulfram) was a 7th-century archbishop of Sens. This name was also borne by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, the author of Parzival.
Wolter m Dutch
Dutch variant form of Walter.
Woo-Jin m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 우진 (see U-Jin).
Wout m Dutch
Short form of Wouter.
Wouter m Dutch
Dutch form of Walter.
Wren f English (Modern)
From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.
Wright m English
From an occupational surname meaning "craftsman", ultimately from Old English wyrhta. Famous bearers of the surname were the Wright brothers (Wilbur 1867-1912 and Orville 1871-1948), the inventors of the first successful airplane, and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect.
Wukong m Literature
Means "awakened to emptiness", from Chinese () meaning "enlightenment, awakening" and (kōng) meaning "empty, hollow, sky". This is the name of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, in the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West.
Wulan f Javanese
Javanese form of Bulan.
Wulf m German
Variant of Wolf.
Wulfstan m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wulf "wolf" and stan "stone".
Wullem m Limburgish
Limburgish form of William.
Wum m Limburgish
Short form of Wullem.
Wyatt m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Wyard or Wyot, from the Old English name Wigheard. Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was an American lawman and gunfighter involved in the famous shootout at the OK Corral.
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Wynn m Welsh
Variant of Wyn.
Wynne 1 m & f Welsh
Variant of Wyn, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Wynne 2 m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Wine.
Xabier m Basque, Galician
Basque and Galician form of Xavier.
Xander m Dutch, English (Modern)
Short form of Alexander. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by a character on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
Xanthe f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.
Xanthippe f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Xanthippos. This was the name of the wife of Socrates. Because of her supposedly argumentative nature, the name has been adopted (in the modern era) as a word for a scolding, ill-tempered woman.
Xanthos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
From Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow". This is the name of several minor figures in Greek mythology, including kings of Pelasgia and Thebes.
Xavier m English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish
Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.
Xenocrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ξενοκράτης (Xenokrates), which was derived from ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek philosopher.
Xenon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest".
Xerxes m Old Persian (Hellenized), History
Greek form of the Old Persian name 𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠 (Xšayarša), which meant "ruler over heroes". This was the name of a 5th-century BC king of Persia, the son of Darius the Great. He attempted an invasion of Greece, which ended unsuccessfully at the battle of Salamis.
Xián m Galician
From Xulián, the Galician form of Julian.
Xiang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (xiáng) meaning "soar, glide", (xiáng) meaning "good luck, good omen", (xiāng) meaning "fragrant" (which is usually only feminine) or (xiāng), which refers to the Xiang River in southern China. This name can also be formed from other characters.
Xiao m Galician
Variant of Xián.
Xin m & f Chinese
From Chinese (xīn) meaning "wealthy, prosperous" or (xīn) meaning "fresh, new", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Xiulan f Chinese
From Chinese (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Xiuying f Chinese
From Chinese (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". Other character combinations are possible.
Xoán m Galician
Galician form of John.
Xochiquetzal f Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Derived from Nahuatl xōchitl "flower" and quetzalli "quetzal feather, precious thing". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of love, flowers and the earth, the twin sister of Xochipilli.
Xochitl f Nahuatl
Means "flower" in Nahuatl.
Xuân m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (xuân) meaning "spring (season)".
Xue f & m Chinese
From Chinese (xuě) meaning "snow" or (xué) meaning "study, learning, school", besides other characters pronounced similarly.
Xulio m Galician
Galician form of Julius.
Xun m & f Chinese
From Chinese (xūn) meaning "meritorious deed, rank" or (xùn) meaning "fast, sudden", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Xurxo m Galician
Galician form of George.
Yacoub m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يعقوب (see Yaqub).
Yael f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jael.
Yağmur f & m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "rain" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Yahui f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (huì) meaning "favour, benefit". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Yahweh m Theology
A name of the Hebrew God, represented in Hebrew by the Tetragrammaton ("four letters") יהוה (Yod Heh Vav Heh), which was transliterated into Roman script as Y H W H. Because it was considered blasphemous to utter the name of God, it was only written and never spoken, which resulted in the original pronunciation becoming lost. The name may have originally been derived from the Hebrew root הָוָה (hawa) meaning "to be, to exist, to become".
Yair m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Spanish (Latin American)
Hebrew form of Jair, as well as a Spanish variant.
Yakau m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Jacob (or James).
Yakim m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Joachim.
Yakiv m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Jacob (or James).
Yakov m Hebrew, Russian, Bulgarian (Rare)
Russian and Bulgarian form of Jacob (or James), and an alternate transcription of Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (see Yaakov).
Yakub m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يعقوب (see Yaqub).
Yale m English (Rare)
From a Welsh surname, which was itself derived from a place name meaning "fertile upland" (from Welsh ial).
Yaling f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (líng) meaning "tinkling of jade". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Yamaç m Turkish
Means "mountainside, slope" in Turkish.
Yan 2 f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yàn) meaning "beautiful, gorgeous" (which is usually only feminine) or (yán) meaning "cliff, rocks", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced in a similar fashion.
Yang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (yáng) meaning "ocean" or (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male" (which is typically only masculine), as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Yanick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Yanis m Greek, French
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάνης (see Gianis). It is also used in France, in part inspired by the Breton names Yann and Yannic.
Yann m Breton, French
Breton form of John.
Yannick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Yannis m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάννης (see Giannis).
Yaqoob m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يعقوب (see Yaqub).
Yaqub m Arabic
Arabic form of Yaʿaqov (see Jacob) appearing in the Quran.
Yaroslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Means "fierce and glorious", derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and slava "glory". Yaroslav the Wise was an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv who expanded Kievan Rus to its greatest extent.
Yasaman f Persian
Variant of Yasamin.
Yasamin f Persian
Persian form of Yasmin.
Yasemin f Turkish
Turkish form of Jasmine.
Yaser m Persian, Turkish, Arabic
Persian and Turkish form of Yasir, as well as an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.
Yasin m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish
From the Arabic letters ي (called ya) and س (called sin). These letters begin the 36th chapter of the Quran (surah Ya Sin).
Yasir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "easy, wealthy" in Arabic, derived from the root يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". This was the name of an early Islamic martyr. It was also borne by Yasir Arafat (1929-2004), a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Yasmeen f Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسمين or Urdu یاسمین (see Yasmin).
Yasmim f Portuguese (Brazilian, Modern)
Portuguese (mainly Brazilian) variant of Yasmin.
Yasmin f Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, English (Modern), Spanish (Modern), Portuguese (Modern)
Means "jasmine" in Arabic and Hebrew, derived from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn). In modern times it has been used in the western world, as an Arabic-influenced variant of Jasmine.
Yasmine f Arabic, French (Modern), English (Modern)
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسمين (see Yasmin).
Yasser m Arabic, Persian
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسر (see Yasir) or Persian یاسر (see Yaser).
Yassine m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسين (see Yasin) chiefly used in North Africa.
Yasu 2 m Theology (Arabized)
Form of Jesus used by Arabic-speaking Christians. Muslims use عيسى (ʿĪsā), the form in the Quran.
Yating f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (tíng) meaning "pretty, graceful". Other character combinations are possible.
Yavuz m Turkish
Means "stern, grim" in Turkish.
Yawen f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (wén) meaning "cloud patterns". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Yazdan m Persian
Means "angel, divinity, saint" in Persian.
Yefim m Russian
Russian vernacular form of Euthymius.
Yefrem m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Ephraim.
Yegor m Russian
Russian form of George.
Ye-Jun m Korean
From Sino-Korean (ye) meaning "art, talent, craft" combined with (jun) meaning "talented, handsome", as well as other hanja combinations.
Yemelyan m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Yên f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (yên) meaning "calm, peaceful".
Yeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name. This name was borne by Jang Yeong-sil (where Jang is the surname), a 15th-century Korean scientist and inventor.
Yeong-Cheol m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "perpetual, eternal" combined with (cheol) meaning "wise, sage". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Yeong-Hwan m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "perpetual, eternal" or (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with (hwan) meaning "shining, brilliant, lustrous". Other hanja combinations are possible as well.
Yeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" and (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Yeşim f Turkish
Means "jade" in Turkish.
Yeter f Turkish
Means "enough, sufficient" in Turkish.
Yeva f Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian form of Eve.
Yevhen m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugene.
Yiğit m Turkish
Means "brave" in Turkish.
Yihan f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "one" or () meaning "art, talent, craft" combined with (hán) meaning "contain, include". This name can also be formed from other combinations of similar-sounding characters.
Yijun m & f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "joy, harmony" combined with (jūn) meaning "king, ruler". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Yıldırım m Turkish
Means "lightning" in Turkish.
Yıldız f Turkish
Means "star" in Turkish.
Yılmaz m Turkish
Means "dauntless, intrepid" in Turkish.
Yin f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yín) meaning "silver, money", (yīn) meaning "sound, tone" or (yīn) meaning "shade, shelter, protect", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Ying f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", (yǐng) meaning "clever", or (yǐng) meaning "image, shadow", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Yinuo f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "one" or () meaning "rely on" combined with (nuò) meaning "promise, approve". Other combinations of similar-sounding characters can also form this name.
Yisrael m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Israel.
Yngve m Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Yngvi.
Yoann m French
French form of Johann.
Yoel m Hebrew, Spanish, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joel, as well as a Spanish variant.
Yohanes m Indonesian
Indonesian form of John.
Yohann m French
French form of Johann.
Yolande f French
French form of Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.
Yong m & f Chinese, Korean
From Chinese (yǒng) meaning "brave" or (yǒng) meaning "perpetual, eternal". This can also be a single-character Korean name, for example from the hanja meaning "brave". It can be formed by other characters besides those listed here.
Yorick m Literature, English, Dutch
Possibly an altered form of Jörg. Shakespeare used this name for a deceased court jester in his play Hamlet (1600).
York m English
From an English surname that was derived from York, the name of a city in northern England. The city name was originally Eburacon, Latinized as Eboracum, meaning "yew" in Brythonic. In the Anglo-Saxon period it was corrupted to Eoforwic, as if from Old English eofor "boar" and wic "village". This was rendered as Jórvík by the Vikings and eventually reduced to York.
Yoshie f & m Japanese
From Japanese (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or (yoshi) meaning "reason, case" combined with (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations with the same reading can also form this name.
Yōsuke m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light, sun, male" or () meaning "ocean" combined with (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Yosuke m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽介 or 洋介 or 洋右 (see Yōsuke).
Younes m Arabic (Maghrebi), Persian
North African and Persian form of Yunus.
Young f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul (see Yeong).
Young-Sook f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 영숙 (see Yeong-Suk).
Younis m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يونس (see Yunus).
Yousef m Persian, Arabic
Persian form of Yusuf, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Youssef m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Yousuke m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽介 or 洋介 or 洋右 (see Yōsuke).
Ysabel f Spanish (Archaic)
Medieval Spanish form of Isabel.
Yu f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "jade, precious stone, gem", () meaning "pleasant, delightful" or () meaning "rain". Other characters can form this name as well.
Yuan m & f Chinese
From Chinese (yuán) meaning "first, origin", (yuán) meaning "source, origin", or (yuàn) meaning "beautiful woman" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters are also possible.
Yudif f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Judith.
Yue f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yuè) meaning "cross, surpass", also referring to the Yue people, or (yuè) meaning "moon". Other characters can form this name as well.
Yulian m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Julian.
Yume f Japanese
From Japanese (yume) meaning "dream, vision". It can also come from (yu) meaning "abundant, rich, plentiful" and (me) meaning "bud, sprout", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.
Yun f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yún) meaning "cloud" or (yǔn) meaning "allow, consent", as well as other Chinese characters that are pronounced in a similar way.
Yunus m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic form of Yona (see Jonah). It appears in the Quran.
Yuriy m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of George. This name was borne by Yuriy Dolgorukiy, a 12th-century grand prince of Kyiv. The Soviet cosmonaut Yuriy (or Yuri) Gagarin (1934-1968), the first man to travel to space, was another famous bearer of this name.
Yusef m Persian, Arabic
Alternate transcription of Persian یوسف (see Yousef) or Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Yusha m Arabic
Arabic form of Yehoshuaʿ (see Joshua).
Yusuf m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Pashto, Tajik, Uzbek, Bengali
Arabic form of Yosef (see Joseph) appearing in the Quran. This is also the form used in several other languages.
Yvan m French
French form of Ivan.
Yveline f French
Feminine diminutive of Yves.
Yvelise f French
Feminine form of Yves (or an elaboration using Élise). It was (first?) borne by the title character in the Italian novel Yvelise (1923) by Guido da Verona. It later appeared in the photonovel Yvelise devant l'amour published in the French magazine Nous Deux in 1950.
Yves m French
Medieval French form of Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.
Yvette f French, English
French feminine form of Yves.
Yvon m French
Medieval diminutive of Yves.
Yvonne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Zaahir 1 m Arabic
Means "shining, brilliant, radiant" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".
Zaahir 2 m Arabic
Means "clear, evident, manifest, outward" in Arabic, a derivative of ظهر (ẓahara) meaning "to be visible, to be clear". In Islamic tradition الظاهر (al-Ẓāhir) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Zabel f Armenian
Armenian form of Isabel. A 13th-century ruling queen of Cilician Armenia bore this name.
Zac m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zacarías m Spanish
Spanish form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zacchaeus m Biblical
From Ζακχαῖος (Zakchaios), the Greek form of Zaccai. According to the New Testament, Zacchaeus was a tax collector who climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus, then gave half of his possessions to charity.
Zach m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zacharias m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Greek
Greek form of Zechariah. This form of the name is used in most English translations of the New Testament to refer to the father of John the Baptist. It was also borne by an 8th-century pope (called Zachary in English).
Zack m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zafar m Arabic, Urdu
Means "victory" in Arabic.
Zafer m Turkish
Turkish form of Zafar.