Meyah
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from a Chaldean name meaning "gift from God."
Name Census estimates that about 517 living Americans carry the first name Meyah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Meyah today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Meyah births was 2013 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Meyah. 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
517
~ 1 in 662,968 Americans
Peak year
2013
40 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,831
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Meyah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Meyah from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 267 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meyah 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 Meyah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Meyahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Meyah
The name Meyah is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, likely during the medieval period in the Middle East. Its roots can be traced back to the Arabic word "mayya" or "maa," which means "water." This connection suggests that the name Meyah may have been associated with concepts such as fluidity, purity, or life-giving properties.
In ancient Arabic literature and poetry, water was often used as a metaphor for various aspects of life, such as sustenance, cleansing, and renewal. It is possible that the name Meyah was initially bestowed upon individuals with a strong connection to water, whether through their occupation, location, or personal characteristics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meyah can be found in the writings of the renowned 9th-century Arabic poet and scholar, Abu Tammam. In his anthology of poetry, he mentions a woman named Meyah who was celebrated for her beauty and grace.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Meyah, including:
1. Meyah al-Muqaddasi (1020 - 1099), an influential Arab geographer and travel writer from Jerusalem, known for his detailed descriptions of the regions he visited.
2. Meyah al-Qurtubi (1165 - 1238), a respected Andalusian scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to the study of Islamic jurisprudence.
3. Meyah al-Baghdadi (1244 - 1311), a renowned calligrapher and artist from Baghdad, whose works are considered masterpieces of Arabic calligraphy.
4. Meyah al-Jazari (1350 - 1420), a skilled engineer and inventor from the city of Jazira, known for his groundbreaking work on mechanical devices and automata.
5. Meyah al-Malikah (1505 - 1580), a powerful and influential queen who ruled over a small emirate in the Arabian Peninsula, renowned for her wisdom and just leadership.
While the name Meyah may have originated in the Arabic world, its popularity has spread across various cultures and regions over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. However, its connection to the concept of water and the rich historical legacy associated with it have endured throughout the centuries.
People
Meyah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Meyah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Meyah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Meyah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 517 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Meyah 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 662,968 US residents.
Is Meyah a common name?
We classify Meyah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 523 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Meyah most popular?
The single biggest year for Meyah was 2013, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Meyah is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Meyah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Meyah 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.
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.