Yuma

♂ Boy

Pronounced YOO-muh /ˈjuː.mə/High

Meaning: Yuma is the name of a city in Arizona and the name long applied to the Quechan people of the lower Colorado River, who call themselves Quechan; the term's own origin is debated. Separately, Yuma is an established Japanese given name whose meaning depends on the characters chosen. Both routes are real and are given honestly.Low

In 30 seconds: Two honest routes: Yuma is an Arizona city tied to the Quechan people, and also a Japanese given name (said 'YOO-muh').

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Origin LowNative American, Japanese

MeaningYuma is the name of a city in Arizona and the name long applied to the Quechan people of the lower Colorado River, who call themselves Quechan; the term's own origin is debated. Separately, Yuma is an established Japanese given name whose meaning depends on the characters chosen. Both routes are real and are given honestly.

U.S. rank (2023)#7275 ↗ Rising

2023 U.S. births12 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2014

Total births (all-time)≈ 347

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Yuma has two separate lives. In the American Southwest it is a place-name and an exonym historically applied to the Quechan people — a history worth knowing and respecting. In Japan, Yuma is a familiar boys' name whose sense shifts with the characters used to write it. Neither route descends from the other (said 'YOO-muh').

In the U.S. it is rare for boys. Rare, short, and double-rooted.

Did you know? Yuma names a city in Arizona and was long used for the Quechan people of the Colorado River, whose own name for themselves is Quechan. It is also a common Japanese boys' name, its meaning depending on the written characters. We give both routes so families choose with open eyes (said 'YOO-muh').

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Yuma — Japanese given name (character-dependent); Arizona city; exonym for the Quechan people

Variations

YuumaYouma

Nicknames

YuMa

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Yuma mean?

Yuma is a Japanese given name whose meaning depends on the characters used, and also an Arizona place-name long applied to the Quechan people.

How do you pronounce Yuma?

It's said YOO-muh /ˈjuː.mə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Yuma a boy or girl name?

Here Yuma is used as a boy's name; it is chiefly a boys' name in Japan as well.

How popular is Yuma?

Yuma is a rare name for boys in the U.S.