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Isaiah Name Meaning, Origins & History

Isaiah

Pronunciation: eye-ZAY-uh / eye-ZY-uh

Meaning Salvation of God Origin Hebrew Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#57
TREND
1
GIRLS RANK
#13,869
TREND
5,249
Peak Years
2006, 2007, 2008
Lowest Years
1889, 1901, 1893
Energy Archetype
Compassionate & Creative

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Isaiah in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Isaiah

  • An established favorite: Isaiah held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 30 consecutive years, from 1996 through 2025.
  • More than 254 thousand babies named Isaiah: U.S. records list 254,589 babies given the name Isaiah from 1880 through 2025. Even 689 girls received the name Isaiah - about 1 girl for every 369 boys.

What Does the Name Isaiah Mean?

Isaiah is the English form of the Hebrew name Yeshayahu (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ), which means "Yahweh is salvation" or "Yah is salvation." It combines the Hebrew root yashaʿ (יָשַׁע), "to save" or "to deliver," with a shortened form of the divine name YHWH, represented as Yah. The same name also appears in a shorter Hebrew form, Yeshaʿyah (יְשַׁעְיָה). The meaning is a statement about God as savior; later Christian readings of Isaiah's prophecies as messianic are interpretations of the book, not a second etymology of the name.

Isaiah Name History & Origins

The Hebrew name Yeshayahu is best known from the prophet Isaiah, who lived in Jerusalem in the 8th century BCE and whose speeches and visions are collected in the Book of Isaiah. Other minor biblical figures also bear the name, but the prophet is the best-known bearer. In the Greek Septuagint, the name appears as Ēsaias (Ἠσαΐας); the Latin Vulgate uses Isaias. These Greek and Latin forms passed into early Christian and medieval European usage, appearing in English as Isaias or Esaias.

The modern English spelling Isaiah reflects the Hebrew ending -yahu, which became -iah in English, rather than the Greek and Latin -as. It became standard in English Bibles in the 16th and 17th centuries; the King James Version of 1611 uses "Isaiah" for the prophet and the book, while older forms such as "Esaias" survive in New Testament passages that quote him. Jewish communities have continued to use Yeshayahu as a given name, while English-speaking Christians adopted Isaiah along with other Old Testament names, especially from the Reformation era onward.

How Popular is the Name Isaiah?

Isaiah remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1996 to 2025. Its highest annual birth count was in 2006, and people born that year turn 20 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Isaiah

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name Isaiah Shapes Your Personality and Life?

Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.

You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.

✦ Isaiah's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Isaiah's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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