Declining since 2006, #57 for boys today.
Popularity of Isaiah since 1880
Babies named Isaiah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 304 |
| 1890s | 264 |
| 1900s | 263 |
| 1910s | 845 |
| 1920s | 1,262 |
| 1930s | 1,039 |
| 1940s | 1,194 |
| 1950s | 1,180 |
| 1960s | 727 |
| 1970s | 1,578 |
| 1980s | 6,709 |
| 1990s | 36,586 |
| 2000s | 92,786 |
| 2010s | 76,320 |
| 2020s | 32,963 |
Meaning & origin
Among the prophet names that reshaped American boys' naming, Elijah, Josiah, Micah, Isaiah was an early mover, climbing hard through the 1990s and reaching its share-of-births peak in 2006. The decline since has been unhurried: in 2025 it ranked 57th, given to about 1 in 324 newborn boys, still well inside the range where a name feels current rather than nostalgic.
The name's geography is striking. Its three strongest states are Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico, a Pacific and Southwestern footprint shared by few other biblical names, suggesting Isaiah's four smooth vowel-rich syllables travel especially well across communities.
On paper it is among the oldest names in the book, borne by the prophet of swords-into-plowshares and spelled the modern way since the King James Bible of 1611. In practice, its bearers skew young: the vast majority of American Isaiahs alive today were born after 1990, giving an ancient name an unmistakably contemporary face.
Isaiah descends from the Hebrew Yesha'yahu, "Yahweh is salvation," the name of the major prophet whose book supplies some of the most quoted passages in scripture, swords into plowshares, a voice crying in the wilderness. The name reached English through the Latin Isaias, with the modern spelling fixed by the King James Bible of 1611. Puritans used it, and it has appeared in American records continuously since 1880, though for most of that span it was uncommon. The sharp climb came in the 1990s as prophet names returned to fashion, and by the mid-2000s Isaiah had reached the national top 40. The spelling Isiah, familiar from basketball's Isiah Thomas, remains a common variant.
Read more: Isaiah on Wikipedia
Where Isaiah is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Isaiah” around the world
Where Isaiah lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
345
babies in 2024
Ireland
5
babies in 2025
New Zealand
#57
in 2025
Quebec
28
babies in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#72
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Zay, Izzy
Famous people named Isaiah
- Isaiah Berlin · philosopher and historian of ideas
- Isaiah Thomas · Revolutionary-era printer and founder of the American Antiquarian Society
- Isaiah Thomas · two-time NBA All-Star guard
Sibling names for Isaiah
Names that share Isaiah's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Naomi, Abigail, Eden, Talia, Hannah, Beulah, Destiny, Genesis, Jada, Jayla, Mariah, Serenity, Aiyana, Alaya, Alayah, Aleah, Alesha, Anaiah, Aniah, Azaria, Dasia, Deja, Desirea, Destiney, Iyana, Jaliyah, Jamya, Janiya, Janiyah, Jaziyah, Jazmin, Jazmine, Kenia, Keyla, Maliah, Maliyah, Orpha, Promise, Sariah, Taleah, Taliyah, Tamia, Tianna, Aiyanna, Alaiya, Aleigha, Amariah, Anaiyah, Anijah, Ashia, Asiah, Azariyah, Azeneth, Aziyah, Blessing, Caliyah, Daija, Destanie, Elizah, Emoni, Iyonna, Jakira, Jamaria, Jariah, Jazzmin, Kamora, Keiana, Keyana, Kiarra, Laisha, Makiah, Markayla, Myasia, Nahomi, Navaeh, Nazareth, Nyomi, Sanai, Shakayla, Shaniah, Shaniyah, Shekinah, Sinai, Taisha, Tamira, Yocheved, Adaiah, Ahmya, Alaijah, Alaisha, Alayiah, Alayjah, Aleiah, Aleiya, Aliyanna, Anasia, Anyiah, Aryiah, Ashanty, Azaliah, Briasia, Brihanna, Briyana, Briyanna, Celie, Chaniya, Daejah, Dalylah, Damaya, Damiah, Daniah, Deija, Deniya, Destanee, Destyne, Destyni, Genisis, Havilah, Idalis, Jacara, Jakia, Jamea, Janasia, Janyia, Jazaria, Jeniah, Jerusalem, Kaleyah, Kariah, Kaziah, Keianna, Keishla, Keyaira, Kharisma, Khayla, Kiyanna, Lamaria, Laylanie, Leasia, Makhia, Malayiah, Maniya, Marriah, Meliah, Meriah, Michaiah, Mikalah, Mikia, Mikiah, Myiesha, Myonna, Nakiah, Nashay, Nathania, Sarahy, Sarayah, Saryah, Seraiah, Shaddai, Shalaya, Shamaya, Shamiah, Sharayah, Soriah, Tamaya, Tamiah, Taniah, Tariah, Terressa, Teyanna, Tiahna, Tiarah, Tiyana, Tiyanna, Yezenia, Zamiah, Zamiya, Zarriah, Zaryah, Adaliah, Ahtziry, Alayshia, Alleyah, Amarionna, Amaryah, Amayiah, Ameriah, Amonie, Anniah, Areonna, Ashayla, Asianna, Aysiah, Azariya, Azarya, Azyah, Azyiah, Bethsaida, Blessings, Briyah, Chaniyah, Danajah, Danijah, Dasiah, Daziah, Deijah, Dejanay, Demiah, Desteni, Ellisha, Emiah, Endya, Eyanna, Hallelujah, Harmani, Ikia, Iyesha, Jabrea, Jakeira, Jakyah, Jalaiya, Jaleya, Jameya, Janeya, Jasiya, Jayliah, Jemiah, Jeriyah, Jermiyah, Kaleiah, Kataleyah, Katiria, Kayliah, Kayona, Keiasia, Kemiya, Keniah, Keniyah, Keziyah, Lanyiah, Leniyah, Liliah, Makaiah, Makaiyah, Makila, Makyra, Maleaha, Marayah, Mariha, Masiyah, Mekhia, Mikaelah, Mishayla, Mykiah, Naviah, Niaomi, Nijah, Samariah, Semaja, Sharaya, Taleyah, Teniya, Tiannah, Timiyah, Trinitie, Zanyiah, Zaryiah, Zeriah, Adiah, Aireonna, Aliviya, Anaijah, Azaylah, Ceairra, Dajana, Deriyah, Hadessah, Jadaya, Jaleiah, Janiaya, Katoria, Laryah, Mekiah, Niasha, Symiah, Teniyah, Toshua, Abryana, Adoniah, Ahleah, Ajahnae, Akeila, Alejah, Allyah, Amarea, Amarrah, Ameah, Amiliah, Analyah, Anayia, Anjanae, Arrionna, Aundraya, Azyria, Azyriah, Breeonna, Cataleyah, Chalisa, Daisja, Davinity, Denajah, Deveah, Deyjah, Dezaree, Dezariah, Deziah, Diavion, Elaisha, Elajah, Elayjah, Eleisha, Emiyah, Enijah, Eriyanna, Genesi, Ilisha, Iyanni, Jahleah, Jalaiah, Jalayiah, Jaleea, Jalexia, Jalisia, Jameia, Janasha, Jaryah, Jasmene, Jayliani, Jazmina, Jazsmin, Jazsmine, Jazyiah, Jecenia, Jermiya, Jizel, Johnasia, Kabria, Kadeisha, Kaleiyah, Kalyiah, Kanasia, Keiyana, Kemaria, Kemyah, Kenijah, Kmya, Kyriana, Laasia, Leeasia, Lilyauna, Makilah, Malaisha, Maleiyah, Maquita, Marijah, Matisha, Micalah, Michiah, Mikaiah, Mikailah, Mikayah, Mikeria, Mireyah, Muriah, Naileah, Nesiah, Neveyah, Nikiah, Nyasiah, Raianna, Sarrinah, Saryiah, Semaya, Shadai, Shadaya, Shakinah, Shemiah, Tahtiana, Tajanay, Tanaysia, Tayja, Terriyah, Tiaja, Tiearra, Tierrah, Tniya, Tyaira, Tyaisha, Tyjanae, Yalissa, Yasenia, Yireh, Zacaria, Zeriyah
Brothers: Isaac, Elijah, Josiah, Gabriel, Micah, Caleb, Ethan, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Logan, Elisha, Emmanuel, Messiah, Nehemiah, Alijah, Azael, Davion, Eliezer, Elihu, Enoch, Hosea, Immanuel, Jadiel, Jamari, Jarius, Jasiah, Javion, Jaziel, Joziah, Malique, Solomon, Uriah, Zion, Adonai, Amen, Asaiah, Aundre, Azai, Azaiah, Aziah, Benaiah, Camari, Damoni, Demari, Demitrius, Ebenezer, Eliah, Ezekial, Ezrah, Jacobe, Jailen, Jakobi, Jamin, Jashaun, Jashua, Jawan, Jayvon, Jaziah, Jedediah, Jeremias, Jermiah, Jeshua, Jessiah, Josias, Jrue, Leviticus, Malachai, Malaki, Masiah, Mehki, Micaiah, Omarion, Tahj, Tyrique, Urijah, Yeshua, Zackariah, Abijah, Azarias, Damauri, Elijha, Elijiah, Emmanual, Ephriam, Ezariah, Ilijah, Jaheem, Jahmere, Jahsiah, Jairon, Jakobie, Jashon, Jawaun, Jehu, Jeremih, Jeziah, Jezreel, Jonael, Joshawa, Joshwa, Josiyah, Josyah, Jusiah, Kyshawn, Malichi, Manasseh, Markis, Meshach, Mesiah, Michah, Mosiah, Nasiah, Oshay, Rayshaun, Trayveon, Uriyah, Yoseph, Yosiah, Aamari, Ahmon, Aijalon, Azarius, Daeveon, Delijah, Derius, Eliasar, Elihue, Elishah, Eluzer, Ezechiel, Imanuel, Izekiel, Jaaziah, Jaiel, Jakori, Jamian, Jasaiah, Jassiah, Jaysiah, Jehiel, Jemari, Jeremaih, Jeremiyah, Jeremyah, Jerimyah, Jermari, Joshuan, Jossiah, Jsean, Jshawn, Jvion, Keishaun, Kemar, Keveon, Latavius, Lijah, Maciah, Makhari, Mekai, Michai, Nessiah, Osias, Tykeem, Uziah, Yahshua, Yashua, Yaziel, Ezekeil, Jerimah, Lazarius, Nisaiah, Amarrion, Armari, Azahel, Azuriah, Damieon, Dessiah, Donterrius, Eliazer, Elohim, Esaiah, Eshawn, Ezekiah, Ezikiel, Isahia, Isaid, Iseah, Izreal, Jacorion, Jahred, Jahvier, Jaqwon, Jasyah, Jayziah, Jeramyah, Joshawn, Joshiah, Josian, Joziel, Joziyah, Kamaury, Kelijah, Kessiah, Meziah, Mizraim, Sosaia, Treyveon, Yahweh, Yasiah
Names like Isaiah
Names whose popularity has moved with Isaiah's over the last 50 years.
