Baby Names Isaiah Name Meaning By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner LinkedIn Twitter Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 27, 2021 Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr LinkedIn Twitter Rich Scherr is a seasoned journalist who has covered technology, finance, sports, and lifestyle. Learn about our editorial process Print Jorn Georg Tomter / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents How Popular Is the Name Isaiah? Name Variations Similar Names Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Isaiah Are you looking for a strong, distinctive name that is associated with truth-telling and righteousness? Isaiah is an awesome choice. Isaiah comes from the Hebrew phrase "yesha’yahu," meaning “God saves.” It was the name of an Old Testament prophet, whose words are preserved in the biblical Book of Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah is revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Origin: The biblical name Yesha’yahu, or Yesha’yah, is derived from the Hebrew words yesha (“salvation”) and yah (an abbreviation of Yahweh, a name for God). Yesha’yah was translated to Greek as Ἡσαΐας (Esaias), and in Latin was rendered as Isaia.Gender: Isaiah is a traditionally masculine name.Pronunciation: eye-ZAY-uh Although baby names are often separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Isaiah? Although it has been in use for thousands of years, the name Isaiah has become more popular in the U.S. in recent decades. It was among the top 100 boy names in America for the first time in 1996 and ranked as number 71 that year. It continued to climb in popularity, breaking into the top 50 in the year 2000, and reaching its peak at number 39 in 2006. The latest statistics rank Isaiah as number 51 on the Social Security Administration's list of boys' names in America. Although the name Isaiah is typically used as a masculine name, it can certainly be used however you see fit as sex doesn't have to be a part of your name selection process. Name Variations Although Isaiah is the most traditional and most common spelling, this biblical name has been spelled in a variety of ways, including: EsaiahEssaiahIsaiaIsayaIsayahIsiaIsiahIssiaIssiahIzaiahIzayaIzayahIziah There are lots of fun nicknames for Isaiah, including Aye, Iz, Izzy, Zay, Zah, and Zaya. Similar Names Isaiah looks a bit like Isaac, another biblical name starting with Isa-. There is not an exact feminine equivalent, but if you’re looking for a girl name starting with Isa-, your options include Isabel, Isabella, Isadora, and Isa. Other boy names starting with I: IgnatiusIlanImmanuelIraIrvingIrwinIsadoreIvan Other names of Old Testament prophets: AmosEzekielJeremiahJoelJonahJoshuaMicahSamuel Suggested Sibling Names AbigailDanielEmmaHannahJacobMatthewMichaelSophia Famous People Named Isaiah From evangelists to athletes, there have been many notable people named Isaiah. Here’s a list of famous people who had the name: Isaiah Berlin, Latvian-born British, social and political theoristIsaiah Bowman, American geographer and president of Johns Hopkins UniversityIsaiah Buggs, American football player who plays for the Pittsburgh SteelersIsaiah Coulter, American football player who plays for the Houston TexansIsaiah Dorman, interpreter for the U.S. Army, the only African American killed at the Battle of Little Big HornIsaiah Firebrace, Australian singer, also known simply as IsaiahIsaiah Harris, American baseball pitcherIsaiah Hart, American plantation owner and founder of Jacksonville, FloridaIsaiah Jackson, African American music conductor and founder of the Juilliard String EnsembleIsaiah Kiplangat Koech, Kenyan long-distance runnerIsaiah Mack, American football player who plays for the Denver BroncosIsaiah McKenzie, American football player who plays for the Buffalo BillsIsaiah Mustafa, American actor, known for his appearances in commercials for Old SpiceIsaiah Oggins, American communist spy for the Soviet UnionIsaiah “Ikey” Owens, American Grammy Award-winning keyboardistIsaiah Prince, American football player who plays for the Cincinnati BengalsIsaiah Rashad, American rapper and co-founder of the hip-hop collective, The HouseIsaiah Rider, American former basketball player who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver NuggetsIsaiah Rogers, American architectIsaiah Rynders, American businessman and political organizerIsaiah Shembe, South African evangelist and faith healer who founded the Nazareth Baptist ChurchIsiah Thomas, retired basketball player who played for the Detroit PistonsIsaiah Toothtaker, American rapperIsaiah Washington, American actor known for his role on the TV series “Grey’s Anatomy” More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Boy Names 100 Gender-Neutral Baby Names 100 Biblical Baby Names 1 Source Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names. Additional Reading Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names. By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit