Yui
Meaningoften tie, bond · Japanese
Yui is a Japanese girl name often meaning “tie, bond”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds short and punchy, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with a longer middle name.
Did you know?
- GenerationYui peaked in 2016, which makes it a Gen Alpha name. The typical Yui you'd meet today is about 9 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Yui would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 80,645 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryYui first shows up in US birth records in 1989, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 36 years since.
US births per million girls, 1989–2025
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Yui
Yui is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often tie, bond”. Short and strong, it's said in a single beat and ends on an open, friendly vowel, so it pairs easily with a longer middle name. It hit its peak in the 2010s and is climbing again now. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese girl names
- Girl name: Naomi · pleasantness
- Girl name: Noa · movement
- Girl name: Reina · queen
- Girl name: Aya · sign, verse
- Girl name: Hana · one; flower in Japanese
- Girl name: Kiyomi · often pure beauty
- Girl name: Yuna · often gentle
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
Questions about the name Yui
What does the name Yui mean?
Yui means “often tie, bond” and comes from Japanese.
What is the origin of the name Yui?
Yui is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Yui a boy or girl name?
Yui is a girl name. In 2025, 20 US girls were named Yui.
How popular is the name Yui?
Yui ranked #5,917 for US girls in 2025, given to 20 babies. Its best year was 2016, when it reached #4,423. Over the last five years it has climbed 2,052 places.
What should I know before naming my baby Yui?
Yui is a Japanese girl name often meaning “tie, bond”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds short and punchy, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with a longer middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.