Fun Facts About the Name Uriyah
- 715 babies named Uriyah: U.S. records list 715 babies given the name Uriyah from 1880 through 2025. Even 232 girls received the name Uriyah - about 1 girl for every 2 boys.
What Does the Name Uriyah Mean?
Uriyah is a Hebrew name meaning Yahweh is my light or my light is Yahweh. It comes from the Hebrew אוּרִיָּה (Uriyyah), a compound of אוֹר (or), meaning "light" or "flame," and יָהּ (Yah), a short form of the divine name YHWH. The yod in the middle of the Hebrew name is a possessive suffix, so the literal sense is "my light is Yah" or "Yah is my light."
The spelling Uriyah is a transliteration that preserves the final יָהּ more fully than the traditional English form Uriah. It is not a separate name in origin but a different rendering of the same Hebrew name. Some English Bibles also use the form Urijah, especially for the priest and prophet in Kings and Jeremiah. The customary translation "The Lord is my light" is a devotional interpretation of the literal components.
Uriyah Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name אוּרִיָּה appears in several books of the Hebrew Bible. The best-known bearer is Uriah the Hittite, a soldier in King David's army and the husband of Bathsheba; his death is narrated in 2 Samuel 11. He is called a Hittite, yet his name is Hebrew and Yahwistic. Other biblical figures include Uriah the priest, who served King Ahaz of Judah and built an altar in Jerusalem modeled on one he saw in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10 - 16), and the prophet Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied against Jerusalem and was executed under King Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:20 - 23). The name also appears in Ezra and Nehemiah in lists of priests and returning exiles.
The Greek Septuagint renders the name as Οὐρίας (Ourias), and the Latin Vulgate uses Urias. English Bibles traditionally render it as Uriah, while Urijah appears in some passages, especially in the King James Version. The modern spelling Uriyah reflects a direct transliteration of the Hebrew, with the final -yah standing for the short form of the divine name. Modern Hebrew uses the form אוּרִיָּה, commonly shortened to Uri.
How Popular is the Name Uriyah?
Uriyah 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 2014. Its best rank was #3,223 in 2014.
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 | #8,322 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #11,003 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #5,727 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 2022 | #6,689 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #5,933 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #11,016 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #8,104 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #6,500 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #8,744 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2016 | #7,954 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #12,926 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #14,469 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #10,950 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #7,779 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #13,276 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #9,197 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #15,380 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #19,044 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #18,683 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,829 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #3,767 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2023 | #4,729 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2022 | #5,199 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #4,226 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #3,645 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2019 | #3,994 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2018 | #3,365 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2017 | #3,308 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2016 | #3,674 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #4,692 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2014 | #3,223 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2013 | #4,962 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #4,123 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2011 | #4,341 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2010 | #3,305 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2009 | #3,329 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 2008 | #5,235 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #12,262 | 6 | 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 Uriyah Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have talent, charm and luck. You can succeed in art and in any educational occupation. You attract peculiar experiences. Your power and protection lies in spiritual side of life. You are an enthusiastic collector and you will be tenacious in holding onto the things you accumulate. You have a good memory and should make an effort to have a positive attitude. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Uriyah's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Uriyah's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.