Iau as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Iau

What is the meaning of the name Iau ?

The baby name Iau is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced ee-ow (approx.).

Iau is in Origin.

Iau is a rare Welsh given name drawn from the Welsh word for Jupiter and for Thursday (Dydd Iau), ultimately from Latin Iovis/Iuppiter via Brittonic. It therefore carries the celestial sense of “Jove,” evoking expansiveness, wisdom, and good fortune in classical and astrological traditions. In everyday Welsh, iau also means “younger,” giving the name a secondary, familial nuance. Pronounced roughly “yow.”

Usage as a personal name is modern and uncommon, appearing with the broader trend toward nature- and sky-inspired choices in Wales and beyond; it suits all genders. Close Celtic cognates include Breton Yaou and Cornish Yow (both “Jupiter/Thursday”). Conceptual or stylistic variants are Jove and Jupiter in English, while related weekday forms appear across Europe (e.g., French jeudi). Short forms are unnecessary for this brief name, though Io or Au may occur informally.

⚙ Iau is an extremely rare name. Across our dataset of national birth registries and international name records, Iau appears only 25 times in total — found in 8 countries. If you're considering it, you'd be giving your child a name almost nobody else has.