Hayaa
An Arabic feminine name derived from hayaa, meaning "modesty" or "shyness".
Name Census estimates that about 58 living Americans carry the first name Hayaa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hayaa today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hayaa births was 2022 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hayaa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Hayaa with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hayaa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
58
~ 1 in 5,909,558 Americans
Peak year
2022
11 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,436
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Hayaa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hayaa from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 35 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hayaa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hayaa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hayaa
The given name Hayaa originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle Eastern region. It is believed to have been derived from the Arabic word "hayat," which means "life" or "to live." The name Hayaa is often associated with concepts of vitality, existence, and the essence of being.
In the Islamic tradition, the name Hayaa holds significant meaning and can be found mentioned in various religious texts, including the Quran and Hadith. It is considered a virtuous name, representing the qualities of modesty, humility, and shyness – traits that are highly regarded in Islamic teachings.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hayaa can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It is said that one of his companions, a woman named Hayaa bint Hubayrah, embraced Islam and played a role in the early Muslim community.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Hayaa. One such example is Hayaa al-Hadrami (died 1299 CE), a renowned Sufi scholar and poet from Yemen who authored several works on mysticism and spirituality. Another prominent figure is Hayaa al-Andalusi (1165-1229 CE), a renowned Muslim philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer from Andalusia, Spain.
In the realm of literature, Hayaa al-Nabulusi (1639-1711 CE) was a celebrated Syrian poet and Sufi mystic who left a lasting impact on Arabic poetry and Sufi thought. Her poetic works often explored themes of love, devotion, and the divine.
Moving forward in time, Hayaa al-Jaza'iri (1801-1879 CE) was an influential Algerian scholar and reformist who advocated for educational and social reforms during the French colonial period in Algeria. Her efforts contributed to the preservation of Islamic traditions and the advancement of women's education.
Another notable figure is Hayaa al-Shari'ah (1912-1980 CE), a pioneering Syrian feminist and writer who championed women's rights and challenged societal norms through her literary works and activism. She played a significant role in the Arab feminist movement of the 20th century.
These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the name Hayaa throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields such as religion, philosophy, literature, and social reform. The name has endured across centuries, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural contexts, while retaining its profound meaning and significance.
People
Hayaa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hayaa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hayaa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hayaa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 58 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hayaa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 5,909,558 US residents.
Is Hayaa a common name?
We classify Hayaa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 56.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 58 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hayaa most popular?
The single biggest year for Hayaa was 2022, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hayaa is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Hayaa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hayaa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hayaa in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Hayaa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hayaa in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Hayaa can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Hayaa?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.