Isaah
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "salvation of God".
Name Census estimates that about 398 living Americans carry the first name Isaah. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Isaah today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Isaah births was 2001 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Isaah. 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.
People living today
398
~ 1 in 861,192 Americans
Peak year
2001
34 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2014 SSA rank
#10,044
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Isaah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Isaah from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 247 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Isaah 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 Isaah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Isaahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Isaah
The name Isaah finds its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, originating during ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew name Yishayahu, which means "Yahweh is salvation." The name Yishayahu is itself a combination of two Hebrew words: "yesha" meaning "salvation" and "Yahu" being a contracted form of the divine name "Yahweh."
One of the earliest and most notable references to this name can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it is the name of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, who lived during the 8th century BCE. The Book of Isaiah, which bears his name, is a significant part of the biblical canon and contains prophecies and teachings attributed to this revered figure.
Throughout history, the name Isaah has been used by numerous individuals, some of whom have left their mark on various fields. One such person was Isaah Ibn Hezekiah, a prominent Jewish rabbi and scholar who lived in the 9th century CE. He was known for his contributions to the field of Jewish philosophy and his commentaries on various biblical texts.
Another notable figure was Isaah Horowitz, a renowned Jewish scholar and kabbalist who lived in the 16th century. He was the author of the influential work "Shenei Luchot HaBrit" (The Two Tablets of the Covenant), which explored Jewish law and mysticism.
In the realm of literature, Isaah Berlin, a Russian-British philosopher and historian, made significant contributions to the field of political theory and the study of Russian culture. He was born in 1909 and passed away in 1997.
Isaah Thomas, an American basketball player and former president of the NBA Players Association, was also a prominent individual bearing this name. He was born in 1961 and played for the Detroit Pistons during his illustrious career, leading them to two NBA championships.
Lastly, Isaah Tutengye, a Ugandan Catholic priest and human rights activist, dedicated his life to advocating for social justice and the rights of marginalized communities in his country. He was born in 1937 and passed away in 2019, leaving behind a legacy of courage and compassion.
People
Isaah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Isaah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Isaah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Isaah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 398 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Isaah 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 861,192 US residents.
Is Isaah a common name?
We classify Isaah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 409 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Isaah most popular?
The single biggest year for Isaah was 2001, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Isaah is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Isaah a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Isaah in the SSA data are male. 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.
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.