Yahya is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Yahya means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Yahya across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Yahya has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Yahya is a boy name of Arabic origin meaning “John, God is gracious”. The Arabic form of John, a prophet in Islam.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,582 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 6,006 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 141 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 4 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 77 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Yahya per year, England & Wales (1996 to 2025). England & Wales peaked in 2025 (625/yr) · United States peaked in 2025 (455/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2025 (27/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2023 (9/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2024 (4/yr).
Yahya is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #1,254 nationally (given to 1,114 babies that year).
Yahia · Yahye · Yehia · Yehya · Ahya · Yuha · Yahyo · Yahyaa
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