Fun Facts About the Name Yehya
- 94 babies named Yehya: U.S. records list 94 babies given the name Yehya from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Yehya Mean?
Yehya is a Latin-alphabet spelling of the Arabic name Yaḥyā (يحيى). In Arabic naming tradition it is commonly explained as "he lives" or "may he live," from the root ḥ-y-y, "to live." Because Yaḥyā is the Arabic name of John the Baptist, it is also often glossed as "God is gracious," the meaning of the Hebrew name Yôḥānān behind John. The exact derivation is disputed: the "he lives" explanation treats the name as Arabic, while the "God is gracious" explanation follows the identification with John rather than a certain Arabic etymology.
Yehya Name History & Origins
Yaḥyā is the name given in the Qur'an to the son of Zechariah and the figure identified with John the Baptist. The Qur'an says that God named him Yaḥyā and that the name had not been assigned to anyone before him (19:7). That is a scriptural account of the name's origin, not a documentary record of its earliest use. The name's use in Muslim communities is tied to this Qur'anic prophet. Arabic-speaking Christians generally call John the Baptist Yuhanna (يوحنا), the ordinary Arabic form of John.
Yehya is one of several transliterations of the same Arabic name, alongside Yahya and Yahia. The spelling reflects choices in rendering Arabic sounds and regional pronunciation; it does not represent a separate historical name.
How Popular is the Name Yehya?
Yehya 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 2016. Its best rank was #8,682 in 1999.
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 | #11,944 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #9,819 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #14,117 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #13,975 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #14,020 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #9,621 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #10,596 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #12,055 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #13,995 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #12,226 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #10,750 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #10,725 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #11,435 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #10,526 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #8,682 | 7 | 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.
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How the Name Yehya Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
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.
✦ Yehya's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yehya's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.