His name Yukichi originated from the fact that he was born in the evening when his father, also a Confucianist, obtained "Joyujorei," a record of ordinances under the reign of Kenryutei in Qing China.
諭吉という名の由来は、儒学者でもあった父が『上諭条例』（清の乾隆帝治世下の法令を記録した書）を手に入れた夜に彼が生まれたことによる。