Yahya
How to say it: YAH-yuh · /ˈjɑjə/
Arabic form of John/Yohanan meaning 'God is gracious'. The Islamic name of John the Baptist; widely used across Muslim cultures.
Yahya was the 560th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 455 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.1-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #387 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #560 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 455 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,565 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.1 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #387 |
| In France, 2025 | #197 among boys’ names, 240 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Nearly all its use has come recently, with the 2020s marking its high point. At its peak today, more growth looks likely over the next few years.
What goes with it
Light and soft with an easy flow across cultures, Yahya goes well with Yusuf.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Yahya is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Turkish.
In France: #197 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #81.
Famous people named Yahya
- Yahya Jammeh (born 1965)2nd President of the Gambia
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (born 1986)American actor
- Yahya Golmohammadi (born 1971)Iranian association football player and manager
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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