Yuri

♂ Boy

Pronounced YOOR-ee /ˈjoʊoʊr.i/Low

Meaning: Farmer, earth-worker (Slavic form of George)Low

In 30 seconds: Yuri is the Slavic form of George, meaning 'farmer' or 'earth-worker.' It is a familiar Russian name with deep ties to the soil.

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Origin LowRussian, Ukrainian

MeaningFarmer, earth-worker (Slavic form of George)

U.S. rank (2025)#1825 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births88 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,455

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

Yuri descends from the Greek name behind George, built on a word for one who works the land. Slavic languages, especially Russian, adopted it as Yuri and made it thoroughly their own. Bearers include theatre director Yuri Lyubimov and beloved clown and actor Yuri Nikulin.

Short, open, and easy to say, Yuri has long been one of the most characteristically Russian boys' names. Its meaning ties it to farming and the earth even as it reads as crisp and modern.

Did you know? Yuri is the Slavic form of George, from Greek Georgios, so it carries the meaning 'farmer, earth-worker'. (The Japanese name Yuri 'lily' is a separate, unrelated name.)

Overall data confidence 55%

Behind the Name - Yuri — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Yuri Lyubimov (1917–2014)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
★Yuri Nikulin (1921–1997)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Yuri…

George— the English name Yuri is the Slavic counterpart of, sharing the 'earth-worker' meaning

Giorgio— the Italian form of the same George root behind Yuri

Yakov— shares Yuri's Russian roots

Maxim— a similarly popular pick

Anton— another Russian name

Explore names like Yuri

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Yuri mean?

Yuri is the Slavic (Russian/Ukrainian) form of George, from Greek Georgios, meaning 'farmer, earth-worker'. The Japanese name Yuri 'lily' is a separate, unrelated name.

How do you pronounce Yuri?

It's commonly said YOOR-ee /ˈjoʊoʊr.i/.

Is Yuri a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Yuri is used as a boy name.

How popular is Yuri?

In 2024, Yuri ranked #1803 in the U.S. for boys, with 91 births recorded.