Boy and girlPopular now
Yū
Yū (ゆう) is a Japanese name for boys and girls. Its best-known spelling is 悠, 悠 distant. It is popular today and has reached No. 7 in 2016.
ゆ · う · ゆう · ユウ
Ways to write Yū
The same sound can be written with different kanji, and each choice changes the meaning. These are the spellings that have appeared in Japan's yearly baby name rankings, most popular first.
悠
悠distant, calm
Boy, best No. 7 (2004–2025)優
優gentle, kind, excellent
Boy, best No. 10 (1984–2025)優
優gentle, kind, excellent
Girl, best No. 18 (2004–2014)優羽
優gentle, kind, excellent羽feather, wing
Girl, best No. 22 (2005–2011)佑
佑help, protection
Boy, best No. 63 (2016–2024)結羽
結to tie, to bind羽feather, wing
Girl, best No. 65 (2012–2025)柚羽
柚yuzu citron羽feather, wing
Girl, best No. 72 (2019–2023)侑
侑to help, encourage
Boys and girls, 3 notable people on Wikidata雄
雄hero, masculine
Boys and girls, 3 notable people on Wikidata有
有to have, exist
Boys and girls, 2 notable people on Wikidata裕
裕abundant
Boys and girls, 2 notable people on Wikidata憂
憂sorrow
Boys and girls, 1 notable person on WikidataRarer spellings
These spellings of Yū appear in Japanese name records but are uncommon. Each uses a standard reading of its kanji.
郁fragrantGirl
結to tieGirl
結宇to tie + houseGirl
結雨to tie + rainGirl
結生to tie + lifeGirl
結布to tie + clothGirl
結友to tie + friendGirl
結有to tie + to haveGirl
Popularity in Japan
Where Yū has ranked among the most popular name readings each year. Its best year was 2016, at No. 7.
Show the numbers
| Year | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | – | No. 46 |
| 2017 | – | No. 36 |
| 2016 | – | No. 28 |
| 2015 | – | No. 22 |
| 2014 | – | No. 49 |
| 2013 | – | No. 38 |
| 2009 | – | No. 41 |
| 2008 | – | No. 27 |
| 2007 | No. 32 | – |
| 2006 | – | No. 41 |
| 2005 | No. 45 | No. 49 |
| 2004 | – | No. 38 |
Source: Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance yearly baby name survey. It covers the top 10 names each year from 1912 to 2003, and the top 100 names and top 50 readings from 2004.
Famous people named Yū
Yu Kobayashi 小林 悠Japanese association football player
Yu Hasegawa 長谷川 悠Japanese association football player
Yu Darvish 有Japanese professional baseball pitcher
Suguru Hino 優Japanese association football player
Yu Tokisaki 悠Japanese association football player and manager
Yu Hirakawa 悠Japanese association football player
From Wikidata: notable Japanese people with this given name.