Contents
This reference is aimed at teaching English vocabulary to learners, specifically focusing on nouns that start with Y. It includes sections about common nouns, abstract nouns, positive nouns, proper nouns, and a comprehensive list of nouns that start with Y.
If you’ve ever struggled to think of nouns that begin with Y, this reference will be helpful. You’ll find explanations on what a noun is and a mega-list of nouns starting with Y to expand your English vocabulary.
Nouns that Start with Y
What Are Nouns that Start with Y?
A noun is a person, place, or thing. If you can just remember these 3 things, it will be easy to identify any noun you come across. Nouns are everywhere! No sentence is complete without one. That means every time you read or hear anything in the English language, you’re being presented with a noun.
There are several nouns that start with the letter Y, some common examples include yacht, yoga, yarn, yard, year, yell, youth, yolk, and yesterday.
Common Nouns that Start with Y
| Nouns | Examples |
|---|---|
| Yard | The kids played in the yard all afternoon. |
| Year | This year has gone by so quickly. |
| Yellow | The flower was a bright shade of yellow. |
| Yield | The farmer had a high yield of crops this season. |
| Yolk | I prefer my eggs with a runny yolk. |
| Youth | Youth is often associated with energy and enthusiasm. |
| Yoga | She practiced yoga every morning to start her day. |
| Yacht | They spent the weekend sailing on their yacht. |
| Yesterday | Yesterday was a very busy day for me. |
| Yearning | He felt a yearning for his hometown after being away for years. |
| Yarn | She knitted a scarf with soft wool yarn. |
| Yorker | The bowler delivered a perfect Yorker to the batsman. |
| Yoke | The oxen were tied together with a sturdy wooden yoke. |
| Yachtswoman | She was the first female yachtswoman to win the race. |
| Yeast | The bread dough needed yeast to rise properly. |
| Yachtman | He spent most of his life working as a yachtman. |
| Yiddish | My grandparents speak Yiddish fluently. |
| Yawnings | The house had tall windows with beautiful yawnings. |
| Yodeler | The talented yodeler entertained the crowd with his songs. |
| Yeoman | The yeoman was in charge of maintaining the castle’s grounds. |
| Yap | The little dog had a high-pitched yap. |
| Yabby | The fisherman caught a few yabbies in the river. |
| Yeomanry | The yeomanry played a crucial role in defending the kingdom. |
Abstract Nouns that Start with Y
| Abstract Nouns | Example Sentences |
|---|---|
| Yearning | His yearning for success kept him motivated. |
| Youthfulness | Her youthfulness and energy made her perfect for the job. |
| Yield | The yield of crops was significantly lower this year due to the drought. |
| Yoke | The yoke of responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders. |
| Yoga | Practicing yoga has many health benefits. |
| Yowl | The cat let out a loud yowl when the dog chased it. |
| Yip | The puppy let out a little yip when it saw its owner. |
| Yarning | The yarning between the two friends was interrupted by a phone call. |
| Yesteryear | The traditions of yesteryear are not always relevant in modern times. |
| Yachtswoman | She was the first yachtswoman to win the race. |
| Yachtswomen | The group of yachtswomen sailed together around the world. |
| Yellowing | The yellowing of the pages in the old book showed its age. |
| Youthquake | The youthquake of the 1960s brought about significant social changes. |
| Yeomanry | The yeomanry played a crucial role in defending the castle. |
| Yawn | She let out a loud yawn after staying up late the night before. |
| Yore | The stories of yore were passed down from generation to generation. |
| Yielder | The yielder was able to produce more crops than the other farmers. |
| Yeastiness | The yeastiness of the bread gave it a delicious flavor. |
| Yuppification | The yuppification of the neighborhood brought in new businesses and residents. |
| Yieldingness | His yieldingness in negotiations made it easy to come to an agreement. |
| Yatter | The constant yatter of the birds outside was a pleasant sound. |
| Yule | The spirit of yule was evident in the decorations and music. |
Related: Abstract Nouns
Positive Nouns that Start with Y
| Nouns | Example Sentences |
|---|---|
| Yearning | His yearning for success never fades. |
| Youthfulness | Her youthfulness is evident in her cheerful nature. |
| Yin | The concept of yin and yang is important in Taoism. |
| Yoga | I practice yoga every morning to stay healthy. |
| Yesterday | Yesterday was a beautiful day for a picnic. |
| Yumminess | The yumminess of the chocolate cake was irresistible. |
| Yield | The yield of the crop was higher than expected. |
| Yeoman | The yeoman was responsible for managing the estate. |
| Yacht | We sailed on a beautiful yacht on our vacation. |
| Yen | I have a yen for adventure and travel. |
| Yeast | The yeast is necessary for making bread rise. |
| Yieldingness | Her yieldingness in negotiations helped reach an agreement. |
| Yowl | The cat let out a loud yowl when it saw the dog. |
| Yarn | She knitted a beautiful scarf with colorful yarn. |
| Youngster | The youngster showed great promise in his studies. |
| Yearbook | I love looking at my high school yearbook for memories. |
| Youth | The youth are the future of our country. |
| Yiddishkeit | Yiddishkeit refers to the Jewish way of life and culture. |
| Yardstick | The yardstick is used to measure the length of the board. |
Proper Nouns that Start with Y
There’s a special kind of noun called a proper noun. A proper noun is always capitalized. The difference between this and a common noun is that it refers to a specific person, place, or thing. For example, your name is a proper noun. Everyone’s is. The city you live in is a proper noun, as is every city, state, country, and continent.
Another example of a place that would be considered a proper noun would be any place of business, like stores or restaurants, as well as parks, oceans, museums, and any other place that has an official title. And lastly, a thing mentioned with or as a particular brand is a proper noun, like Barbie, Hot Wheels, or a Maytag washing machine.
- Yael
- Yahya
- Yakima
- Yakov
- Yale
- Yamaguchi
- Yamato
- Yangtze
- Yankee
- Yanomami
- Yara
- Yarmouk
- Yasir
- Yellowstone
- Yemen
- Yen
- Yeonmi
- Yesenia
- Yitzhak
- Yoda
- Yokohama
- Yosemite
- Yousef
- Yreka
- Ysabel
- Yucatan
- Yukon
- Yuri
- Yusef
- Yusuf
Related: Proper Nouns
List of Nouns that Start with Y
And now at last, here it is. This list features an abundance of common and proper nouns (U.S. cities are followed by their state, while cities outside of the U.S. are followed by the country they’re in):
- Yabby
- Yacare caimans
- Yacht
- Yachtel
- Yachter
- Yachtsman
- Yachtsmen
- Yahtzee
- Yak
- Yakisoba
- Yakitori
- Yakka skink
- Yala, Sri Lanka
- Yale University
- Yali pear
- Yam
- Yam pudding
- Yamarita
- Yamask (Pokemon)
- Yams
- Yangshuo, China
- Yank
- Yankees
- Yanma (Pokemon)
- Yap
- Yarara
- Yard
- Yardage
- Yardlong beans
- Yardstick
- Yarmouth, England
- Yarn
- Yarrow
- Yasawa, Fuji
- Yawl
- Yawn
- Y-axis
- Yaz
- Yazoo City, Mississippi
- Yeah
- Year
- Yearbook
- Yearling
- Yearning
- Yeast
- Yeast cake
- Yell
- Yelling
- Yellow
- Yellow cobra
- Yellow ground squirrel
- Yellow mongoose
- Yellow-backed duiker
- Yellow-eyed penguin
- Yellowhammer
- Yellowjacket
- Yellowstone Park
- Yelp
- Yen
- Yersinia pestis
- Yesterday
- Yesteryear
- Yet crab
- Yeti
- Yew
- Yichang, China
- Yield
- Yield sign
- Yielding
- Yip
- Yiras
- Yoda
- Yodel
- Yodeler
- Yodels
- Yoga
- Yogi Bear
- Yogurt
- Yo-kai
- Yoke
- Yokefellow
- Yokel
- Yolk
- Yonkers, New York
- Yore
- Yorkshire pudding
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Yorktown, Indiana
- Yoshi
- Young
- Youngberry
- Youngster
- Youngsville, Louisiana
- Youth
- Yo-yo
- Yoyo loach
- Yucatan jay
- Yucca
- Yucca Valley, California
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Yukon gold potato
- Yukon, Oklahoma
- Yule log
- Yuma, Arizona
- Yusafeli, Turkey
- Yuvafem
- Yuzu
So there you have it, a HUGE list of nouns that start with the letter ‘Y’ that’s sure to have plenty of words for your Y-hunting needs. Just remember, a noun is a person, place, or thing. They’re all around you.
Also, a proper noun names a certain person, place, or thing and it’s always capitalized, while common nouns aren’t. They represent a broad term that can be applied to a collection of the same thing, like human (there’s lots of us), tree, or sandwich. See how those nouns refer to a whole group of things? And a proper noun refers a specific one-of-a-kind person, place, or item.
Happy ‘Y’ hunting!
Resources related to Y nouns:
- Verbs that Start with Y
- Things that Start with Y
- Adjectives that Start with Y
- Words that Start with Y
- Positive Words that Start with Y
- Foods that Start with Y
- Animals that Start with Y
- Girl Names that Start with Y
Explore more nouns that start with…
- Nouns that Start with A
- Nouns that Start with B
- Nouns that Start with C
- Nouns that Start with D
- Nouns that Start with E
- Nouns that Start with F
- Nouns that Start with G
- Nouns that Start with H
- Nouns that Start with I
- Nouns that Start with J
- Nouns that Start with K
- Nouns that Start with L
- Nouns that Start with M
- Nouns that Start with N
- Nouns that Start with O
- Nouns that Start with P
- Nouns that Start with Q
- Nouns that Start with R
- Nouns that Start with S
- Nouns that Start with T
- Nouns that Start with U
- Nouns that Start with V
- Nouns that Start with W
- Nouns that Start with X
- Nouns that Start with Y
- Nouns that Start with Z
- 10 Rare Words for Expanding Your English Vocabulary - June 5, 2024
- What Does the Term “Hypocritical” Mean? - January 27, 2024
- SWAG Meaning: What Does it Mean? - January 25, 2024