← All names

Yu

Girl / Boy name · 60 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Yu: 60 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 7 births in 2010.

Yu is a name with deep roots in Chinese culture, where it can derive from characters meaning ‘jade’, ‘rain’, or the legendary emperor Yu the Great, who tamed China’s great floods. In Scotland, Yu appears primarily as a given name within Chinese‑heritage families, though it also exists as a surname and a unisex given name in Japan and Korea. Notable bearers include the ancient hero Yu the Great, along with modern figures such as Chinese author Yu Hua and Japanese actress Yu Aoi. The name lends itself to places like Yu County in Hebei, China. A particularly appealing variant for parents is Yui, which is feminine in Japan and shares the same gentle, natural imagery.