The name Adayah has its origins in the Hebrew language, and is believed to have been in use since ancient times. The name is a combination of two Hebrew words: "adah" meaning "to pass on" or "to advance," and "Yah," which is a shortened form of the Hebrew name for God, "Yahweh."

In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled as "Adaiah" or "Adayahu." The name is found in several ancient Hebrew texts, including the Old Testament of the Bible, where it appears as the name of a Levite priest during the time of King David, around the 10th century BCE.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Adayah is found in the Book of Ezra, which mentions an Israelite man named Adayah who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity in the 5th century BCE. Another early reference is found in the Book of Nehemiah, which lists an Adayah as one of the signers of the covenant with God during the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls in the same period.

Throughout history, the name Adayah has been borne by several notable individuals. In the 1st century CE, Adayah ben Ahavah was a well-known Jewish scholar and Talmudic sage. In the 11th century, Adayah ben Saadia was a prominent Jewish philosopher and commentator on the Torah, who lived in Yemen.

During the Middle Ages, Adayah was a relatively common name among Jewish communities in Europe and the Middle East. One notable bearer was Adayah ben Abraham, a 13th-century Spanish-Jewish poet and philosopher.

In the 17th century, Adayah Hayyun was a prominent Jewish scholar and kabbalist from Yemen. And in the 19th century, Adayah Shochet was a Russian-Jewish educator and advocate for women's education, who lived from 1832 to 1892.

While the name Adayah has ancient roots and a rich history, it has remained relatively rare throughout most of the world, with its usage primarily confined to Jewish communities until more recent times.