Fun Facts About the Name Uryah
- 36 babies named Uryah: U.S. records list 36 babies given the name Uryah from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Uryah Mean?
Uryah is a spelling variant of Uriah, a name from the Hebrew Bible. It derives from the Hebrew אוּרִיָּה (ʾÛrîyāh), formed from two elements: אוּר (ʾûr), meaning "light" or "flame," and יָהּ (Yāh), a shortened form of the divine name YHWH. The literal sense is usually given as "Yahweh is my light," commonly rendered "the Lord is my light"; a minority reading takes ʾûr as "flame" and gives "flame of Yah." The spelling Uryah does not carry a separate etymology of its own - it represents the same Hebrew name with the yod written as a plain y.
Uryah Name History & Origins
Uriah is the name of several men in the Hebrew Bible. The best known is Uriah the Hittite, an officer in King David's army and the husband of Bathsheba, whose story is told in 2 Samuel 11. Others include Uriah the priest, summoned as a witness in Isaiah 8, and Uriah son of Shemaiah, a prophet named in Jeremiah 26.
From Hebrew the name passed into Greek as Οὐρίας (Ourias) and into Latin as Urias. The English form Uriah became widely familiar through early modern English Bible translations, above all the King James Version of 1611. Uryah is a variant transliteration that renders the Hebrew letter yod as a plain y instead of the -iah ending conventional in English biblical names; related transliterations include Uriyah. Because it is a spelling variant rather than a distinct name, its history is the history of Uriah itself.
How Popular is the Name Uryah?
Uryah 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 2017. Its best rank was #8,778 in 2017.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | #12,038 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #8,778 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #9,542 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #14,125 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #9,806 | 8 | 0.0004% |
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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with U
Short Boy Names That Start with U
How the Name Uryah 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.
✦ Uryah's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Uryah's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.