UK girl's name
Yuka
An ornate Japanese feminine name meaning "superiority" or "excellence".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Yuka is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Yuka popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5742, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2010 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Yuka. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2014 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Yuka ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 4 girls were registered as Yuka.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yuka as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5742
2013
Births in 2013
3
Latest year
Peak year
2011
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Yuka mean?
The name Yuka is a given name of Japanese origin. It is a feminine name that has been in use since ancient times in Japan. The name Yuka is derived from the Japanese words "yu" meaning "gentle" and "ka" meaning "fragrance" or "flower". Together, the name Yuka can be interpreted as "gentle fragrance" or "gentle flower".
In Japanese culture, the name Yuka is often associated with qualities of gentleness, grace, and beauty. It is a name that conveys a sense of delicacy and refinement. The name has been popular in Japan for centuries, and it has been borne by numerous notable individuals throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yuka can be found in the Kojiki, an ancient Japanese chronicle dating back to the 8th century CE. The text mentions a princess named Yuka who lived during the reign of Emperor Ojin in the 4th century CE.
Another notable historical figure with the name Yuka was Yuka Tominaga, a prominent calligrapher and painter who lived during the Edo period (1603-1868). She was known for her exceptional skill in the art of calligraphy and her beautiful depictions of nature.
In the realm of literature, the name Yuka has been immortalized through the works of renowned Japanese authors. One such example is Yuka, the protagonist in the novel "Snow Country" by Yasunari Kawabata, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968.
The name Yuka has also been borne by notable women in modern times. Yuka Murayama, born in 1977, is a former professional tennis player who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 9 in the world. Yuka Ogura, born in 1982, is a popular Japanese singer and actress known for her roles in various television dramas and films.
Another notable figure with the name Yuka is Yuka Saso, born in 1996, a professional golfer from Japan who has won several tournaments on the LPGA Tour, including the 2021 U.S. Women's Open.
Throughout its history, the name Yuka has maintained its association with gentleness, beauty, and grace in Japanese culture. It continues to be a popular choice for parents seeking a name that reflects these qualities for their daughters.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Yuka over time
The chart below shows babies named Yuka registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2010 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Yuka, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yuka by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yuka was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5404 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Yuka
- Yasmin 10,052
- Yusra 2,725
- Yasmine 2,474
- Yara 1,487
- Yazmin 806
- Yumna 601
- Yasmeen 527
- Yasmina 518
- Yasemin 513
- Yana 452
- Yvie 377
- Yvonne 368
FAQ
Yuka: questions and answers
How popular is the name Yuka in the UK right now?
In 2013, Yuka was ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Yuka most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 4 babies registered as Yuka in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Yuka?
An ornate Japanese feminine name meaning "superiority" or "excellence".
How many people are called Yuka in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Yuka across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.