Fun Facts About the Name Issa
- More than 3 thousand babies named Issa: U.S. records list 3,215 babies given the name Issa from 1880 through 2025. Even 929 girls received the name Issa - about 1 girl for every 2 boys.
What Does the Name Issa Mean?
Issa is the Arabic form of the name Jesus, written ʿĪsā (عيسى) in Arabic script. It is the name the Qur'an uses for the prophet Jesus, and it corresponds to the Hebrew Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) and the shorter Aramaic Yeshu that lie behind the English name Jesus. Yeshua joins a shortened form of the divine name with a verb meaning "to save" or "to deliver," so its literal sense is commonly given as "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves."
How the Hebrew and Aramaic forms became the Arabic ʿĪsā is not fully settled. The Arabic name lacks the final consonant of Yeshua, so explanations differ over whether it passed through a Syriac or a Greek form. Arabic speakers, however, have used ʿĪsā as the ordinary name for Jesus for many centuries. Arabic-speaking Christians often use the separate form Yasūʿ (يسوع) in worship, while ʿĪsā is the form found in the Qur'an.
Issa Name History & Origins
ʿĪsā appears many times in the Qur'an as the name of Jesus, described there as a prophet and messenger of God and the son of Mary (Maryam). Because the Qur'an is central to Islamic life, the name spread with Islam far beyond Arabic-speaking lands. It is a common male given name across the Middle East and North Africa, and it is also widely used in Muslim communities in West Africa, especially Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea, where it is usually spelled Issa, and in East Africa as well.
The opening Arabic letter ʿayn of ʿĪsā has no direct equivalent in English and is left out of the spelling in European languages. Turkish writes the name İsa, while Persian and Urdu use Isa. Arab Christians also bear the name, though many churches prefer Yasūʿ for Jesus in worship.
An unrelated name with the same spelling is found in Japan. The haiku poet Kobayashi Issa (1763 - 1828) used Issa (一茶, "one tea") as a pen name. That Japanese pen name has no connection to the Arabic name; the resemblance is coincidental.
How Popular is the Name Issa?
Issa has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #1,530 in 2024.
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.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,871 | 59 | 0.0037% |
| 2024 | #2,283 | 81 | 0.0050% |
| 2023 | #2,794 | 61 | 0.0038% |
| 2022 | #2,454 | 74 | 0.0045% |
| 2021 | #2,862 | 59 | 0.0036% |
| 2020 | #2,986 | 54 | 0.0033% |
| 2019 | #2,899 | 57 | 0.0034% |
| 2018 | #3,074 | 53 | 0.0031% |
| 2017 | #3,728 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 2016 | #5,194 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2015 | #4,906 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2014 | #6,078 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #6,342 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2012 | #7,976 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #8,361 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #5,689 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2009 | #7,472 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2008 | #8,686 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #7,205 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2006 | #11,804 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #12,267 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,908 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #9,294 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #8,001 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #6,440 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2000 | #12,291 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #9,801 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #10,162 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #7,784 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #12,348 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #11,009 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #8,311 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #8,197 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #13,801 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #11,354 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #10,854 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #10,342 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #7,170 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #10,994 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #9,408 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #8,843 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #8,358 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,682 | 98 | 0.0057% |
| 2024 | #1,530 | 115 | 0.0067% |
| 2023 | #1,611 | 108 | 0.0063% |
| 2022 | #1,786 | 92 | 0.0053% |
| 2021 | #1,843 | 84 | 0.0048% |
| 2020 | #1,760 | 87 | 0.0050% |
| 2019 | #2,008 | 73 | 0.0041% |
| 2018 | #1,766 | 87 | 0.0048% |
| 2017 | #2,140 | 64 | 0.0035% |
| 2016 | #1,850 | 81 | 0.0043% |
| 2015 | #2,396 | 54 | 0.0028% |
| 2014 | #2,009 | 71 | 0.0037% |
| 2013 | #2,236 | 58 | 0.0031% |
| 2012 | #2,078 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 2011 | #2,296 | 56 | 0.0029% |
| 2010 | #2,339 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 2009 | #2,673 | 46 | 0.0023% |
| 2008 | #2,561 | 49 | 0.0024% |
| 2007 | #2,043 | 68 | 0.0033% |
| 2006 | #2,635 | 45 | 0.0022% |
| 2005 | #2,020 | 62 | 0.0031% |
| 2004 | #2,765 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 2003 | #2,138 | 52 | 0.0026% |
| 2002 | #2,482 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 2001 | #2,582 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2000 | #3,177 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1999 | #2,751 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1998 | #2,738 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1997 | #2,702 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1996 | #2,561 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1995 | #2,230 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 1994 | #2,412 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1993 | #2,814 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #2,566 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1991 | #2,635 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1990 | #2,398 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1989 | #2,644 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #3,421 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #3,830 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #3,050 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #3,287 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1984 | #4,037 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #2,613 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1982 | #2,755 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1981 | #2,232 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1980 | #2,881 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1979 | #2,628 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1978 | #2,320 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1977 | #3,280 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #4,175 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #2,580 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1974 | #3,214 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #3,553 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #3,770 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #5,239 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,667 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Issa 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.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Issa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Issa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.