U: the letter that used to be V
For centuries U and V were treated as a single letter, written one way or the other depending on where it fell in a word. English printers and dictionary makers separated them gradually, and by the 1700s they were two. U is the lightest corner of the alphabet for names. Few begin with it, so the ones that do are rare and distinctive.
Why U names feel unusual
Very few English words open with U, so most U names come from other languages. Ursula is Latin for little bear, Una is Irish for lamb, Uma comes from Sanskrit, Udo and Ulrich are German, and Ulf is Norse for wolf. Uzoma means "good road" in Igbo, a language of Nigeria. This also means that U names are very uncommon, an advantage for parents who want a name no classmate shares.
A cluster of light and dawn
A lovely pattern appears in the list. Uriel means "God is my light", Uri means "my light", Usha means dawn and Uday means "rising" or "dawn". Hebrew and Sanskrit, two ancient languages, both reach for light when they name a child. Japanese names add Umi (ocean), Ume (plum blossom) and Uta (poem, song), all short and lyrical.
U names worth a closer look
- Uriel
A Hebrew name meaning light, rarely used, and therefore memorable.
- Usha
A Sanskrit name for dawn, short, bright and easy to say.
- Ulysses
The Latin form of Odysseus, with a hero's ring and the easy nicknames Uly and Lee.
- Una
A tiny Irish name that is easy to spell and gentle to say.
- Umi
A Japanese name for the sea, lovely for a child of any background.
Famous people whose first names start with U
- Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who holds the 100 metres world record of 9.58 seconds
- Uma Thurman, the American actor of Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill
- Ursula K. Le Guin, the science fiction and fantasy author
- Ulysses S. Grant, the Union general and 18th president of the United States
- Umberto Eco, the Italian novelist and scholar behind The Name of the Rose
- Uzo Aduba, the actor known for Orange Is the New Black
Questions about U names
Is Uma the name of a goddess?
Yes. In Hindu tradition, Uma is a name of the goddess Parvati.
What do Uriel and Uri mean?
Uriel means "God is my light" and Uri means "my light". Both are Hebrew names.