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.

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”

Top 1,000 Baby Boy Names 100 Gender-Neutral Baby Names 100 Biblical Baby Names