What does Sakura mean?
Sakura means “cherry blossom,” Japan’s emblematic spring flower; other kanji give other senses.
What does Yuki mean?
Yuki is commonly written with kanji meaning “snow” or “happiness,” depending on the characters chosen.
Sakura vs Yuki
Which is more popular?
Sakura is more popular than Yuki today: about 58 US babies were given the name Sakura in 2025, compared with 24 named Yuki.
| Sakura | Yuki | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Cherry blossom | Snow; happiness |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | sah-KOO-rah | YOO-kee |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1970 | 1915 |
| Peak year | 2012 (87) | 2004 (43) |
| In 2025 | 58 | 24 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Sakura
Yuki
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Sakura | Yuki |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 322 | 146 |
| 2010s | 702 | 275 |
| 2000s | 595 | 271 |
| 1990s | 113 | 153 |
| 1980s | 41 | 91 |
| 1970s | 10 | 70 |
| 1960s | 0 | 29 |
| 1920s | 0 | 20 |
| 1910s | 0 | 12 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sakura or Yuki more popular?
Sakura is more popular than Yuki today: about 58 US babies were given the name Sakura in 2025, compared with 24 named Yuki.
What is the difference between Sakura and Yuki?
Sakura means Cherry blossom (Japanese origin), while Yuki means Snow; happiness (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Sakura or Yuki?
In US records, Sakura first appears in 1970 and Yuki in 1915, so Yuki has the longer recorded history.