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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Sayuri

Sayuri

♀ Girl

Pronounced sah-YOO-ree /sΙ‘Λˆju.ri/High

Meaning: From Japanese sa, 'small', plus yuri, 'lily' β€” 'small lily'High

In 30 seconds: A small lily in three soft syllables: Sayuri is Japanese for the delicate flower β€” made famous in the West as the heroine of 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. Graceful, gentle, and quietly poetic.
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Origin HighJapanese
MeaningFrom Japanese sa, 'small', plus yuri, 'lily' β€” 'small lily'
U.S. rank (2025)#2380 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births76 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 1,424

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 200719792025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Sayuri comes from Japanese sa, 'small', plus yuri, 'lily' β€” 'small lily', the flower of purity and grace. A beloved Japanese girls' name (actress Sayuri Yoshinaga is a national treasure), it gained Western recognition through Memoirs of a Geisha.

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese-heritage families and among admirers of Japanese names. Rare, lily at the root, and gracefully poetic.

Did you know? Sayuri is the narrator-heroine of Arthur Golden's 'Memoirs of a Geisha' β€” the novel and film that introduced this 'small lily' name to millions of Western readers.
Overall data confidence 85%
Behind the Name β€” Sayuri β€” etymology

Variations

YuriSayuriko

Nicknames

YuriSayu

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Sayuri Yoshinaga (1945–present)
    Acclaimed Japanese film actress with a career spanning decades.

If you like Sayuri…

Yuriβ€” the 'lily' within it
Sakuraβ€” a fellow Japanese flower-name
Yumiβ€” the companion gentle Japanese name
Hanaβ€” the Japanese 'flower' itself

Explore names like Sayuri

By themejapanesefloral
By meaningFlower

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sayuri mean?

Sayuri is Japanese for 'small lily', from sa, 'small', and yuri, 'lily'.

How do you pronounce Sayuri?

It's said sah-YOO-ree /sΙ‘Λˆju.ri/ β€” three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Sayuri a boy or girl name?

Sayuri is a girl's name.

How popular is Sayuri?

Sayuri is a rare name in the U.S. and well-loved in Japan.

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