Yahya (name)

Yahya
GenderMale (given name) Unisex (surname)
Origin
Word/nameArabic
Meaning"to live", "alive"
Region of originArabia
Other names
Related namesJehiah, Yohanan, John, Evan, Giovanni, Hans, Hovhannes, Ian, Ioan, Ioane, Ioannis, Ivan, Iven, Ifan, Jack, Jackson, Jan, Jane, Janez, Jean, Jhon, Joan, João, Johan, Johannes, Jonne, Jovan, Juan, Juhani, Seán, Shane, Siôn, Yohannes

Yahya (Arabic: يحيى, romanized: Yaḥyā), also spelled Yehya, is an Arabic male given name. It is an[a] Arabic form of the given name John, originally Aramaic Yohanan (Yəhôḥānān יְהוֹחָנָן‎ "YHWH is gracious"), i.e. primarily John the Baptist, who is known as Yahya ibn Zakariyya in Islam, and is considered a prophet in Islam. For this reason, Yahya is a comparatively common name in the Muslim world. The related Biblical name of Jehiah (Yᵊḥîyâ יְחִיָּה "YHWH lives") has the Arabic form Yaḥiyyā يَحِيَّى.[1], having the same Arabic consonantal text as the name Yahya does.


  1. ^ The other Arabic form of the given name John is Yūḥannā يوحنا, which is the form directly derived from the Hebrew original form, Yəhôḥānān יְהוֹחָנָן‎. A notable example of the use of this form is of the Arabic original name of John of Damascus.
  1. ^ Van Dyck Bible: 1 Chronicles 15:24