This list includes 13 Literary girl names that start with Y, from “Yamuna” to “Yvette”. They come from fiction, poetry, myth, and author-coined usages, useful for parents, writers, and readers.
Literary girl names that start with Y are feminine given names found in novels, poems, and myths. Some, like “Yamuna”, trace to sacred river figures while others reflect modern literary coinages.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Pronunciation, and Meaning.
Name: The actual given name so you can scan options and compare sounds, styles, and letter patterns quickly.
Origin: Shows author, work, or cultural source so you understand where the name appears and its literary context.
Pronunciation: Provides a simple phonetic respelling so you know how to say the name aloud and test rhythm.
Meaning: Explains etymology or literary significance so you can weigh symbolism and thematic fit for your choice.
Literary girl names that start with Y
| Name | Origin | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yseult | Thomas of Britain — Tristan and Yseult (Anglo-Norman French, 12th century) | EE-soolt | Possibly “fair, beautiful”; Celtic roots suggested |
| Ygraine | Thomas Malory — Le Morte d’Arthur (Middle English, 15th century) | ih-GRAYN | Old British personal name; meaning uncertain |
| Yrsa | Hrólfs saga kraka and other Norse sagas (Old Norse, medieval) | UR-sah | Old Norse name; precise meaning uncertain |
| Ygritte | George R.R. Martin — A Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire (English, 1996) | ih-GRIT | Author-coined Wildling name; no fixed etymology |
| Yvaine | Neil Gaiman — Stardust (English, 1999) | EE-vayn | Literary name evoking “evening/star” |
| Yelena | Anton Chekhov — Uncle Vanya (Russian, 1897) | yeh-LEH-nah | Slavic form of Helen; “torch” or “light” |
| Yente | Sholem Aleichem — Tevye stories (Yiddish, stories published c.1890s–1910s) | YEN-teh | Yiddish feminine name/diminutive form |
| Yamuna | Mahabharata; Puranas and Sanskrit poetry (Sanskrit, ancient) | yah-MOO-nah | Name of the sacred river goddess |
| Yasodhara | Buddhist biographies and Pali/Sanskrit texts (Theravada/Mahayana traditions, ancient) | yah-SOH-dah-rah | Bearer of fame or glory (Sanskrit) |
| Yara | Tupi oral tradition; adapted in 19th-century Brazilian literature and poetry (Portuguese) | YAH-rah | Water lady or river nymph in Tupi lore |
| Yvette | Guy de Maupassant — “Yvette” (French short story, 1884) | ee-VET | Diminutive of Yvonne/Yves; “yew” root |
| Ysabel | Guy Gavriel Kay — Ysabel (English, 2007) | iss-ah-BEL | Variant of Isabel/Elizabeth; “consecrated to God” |
| Yrth/Irth (Yrth as literary medieval spelling) | Various medieval romances (Middle English/Old French, medieval) | URTH | Possibly linked to Latin/Old English “earth” |