Yara

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Arabic          Meaning: “Small butterfly.”

Origin: Brazilian      Meaning: “Water lady.”

Pronunciation: (YAH-rah)

Nicknames: Yaya, Yari

Detail: In Brazilian legends Yara was a water goddess or siren.

Yakta

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Afghan

Meaning: “Unique.”

Pronunciation: (YAHK-tah)

Nicknames: Yaka, Yaki, Yaz

Yael

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: “Ibex; Mountain goat.”

Pronunciation: (ya-EL)

Nicknames: Ya, Yaya, El, Yelle

Detail: Hebrew name meaning “ibex” or “mountain goat.” The ibex is a type of mountain goat.

In the bible, this is the name of the wife of Heber the Kenite who killed general Sisera, an enemy of the Israelites.

Yfke

Yfke Sturm

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Frisian

Meaning: “Bow; Yew.”

Pronunciation: (EEF-keh)

Nicknames: Yffy, Effy

Detail: Possibly derived from the French name Yves, which originated as a shortened form of any Germanic name containing ‘iv’ (‘yew’).

Yfke Sturm is a Dutch supermodel.

Isolde

Sophia Myles

 

Gender: Feminine

Meaning: (Welsh) “Beautiful; fair lady.” Or (Germanic) “Ice princess.”

Pronunciation: (ih-ZOLD)

Origin: The origin of Isolde is somewhat disputed. It might derive from the Welsh word “esyllt,” meaning “beautiful”; it might also derive from the Germanic words for “ice” and “to rule.”

Detail: In Arthurian legend, this is the name a tragic princess who was the lover of Tristan.

Variations:

• Essylt (Old Irish)
• Esyllt (Welsh)
• Iseult (Old French)
• Ishild (Ancient Germanic)
• Isold (English)
• Isolda (English)
• Isolina (Italian)
• Isolt (English)
• Isolte (English)
• Isotta (Italian)
• Izolda (Polish)
• Yseult (Old French)
• Ysolt (Celtic)