Yahayra
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "superior", "noble", or "excellent".
Name Census estimates that about 200 living Americans carry the first name Yahayra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Yahayra today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yahayra births was 1996 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yahayra. 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
200
~ 1 in 1,713,772 Americans
Peak year
1996
17 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2015 SSA rank
#18,992
Tracked since 1982
Popularity
Yahayra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yahayra from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 116 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
Yahayra 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 Yahayra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Yahayras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Illinois, Texas recorded the most babies named Yahayra, while Texas, Illinois, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yahayra
The name Yahayra has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back to the 7th century CE. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "hayra," which means "surprise" or "astonishment." This name was likely given to children as a way to express the parents' joy and wonder at the birth of their child.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Yahayra can be found in the historical records of the Umayyad Caliphate, which ruled a vast territory spanning from modern-day Spain to Central Asia between 661 and 750 CE. During this period, the name was particularly popular among the Arab nobility and ruling classes.
In the centuries that followed, the name Yahayra continued to be used throughout the Islamic world, appearing in various historical texts and records. One notable individual who bore this name was Yahayra bint al-Hasan, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century CE. She was celebrated for her contributions to Arabic literature and her mastery of various poetic forms.
Another prominent figure associated with the name Yahayra was Yahayra al-Nabulusi, a 17th-century Sufi mystic and philosopher from Damascus. His writings on Islamic spirituality and metaphysics had a profound influence on the intellectual and religious landscape of the Ottoman Empire.
In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name Yahayra was Yahayra al-Sudani, a Sudanese military leader and rebel who led a revolt against the Ottoman-Egyptian rule in Sudan. Her struggle for independence and resistance against foreign occupation earned her a place in the annals of Sudanese history.
Fast forward to the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the name Yahayra was Yahayra Ayyad, a renowned Egyptian actress and singer who graced the silver screen and stage with her captivating performances. Born in 1924, she was a cultural icon and a beloved figure in the Arab world, known for her versatility and her ability to portray a wide range of characters.
Throughout its rich history, the name Yahayra has been borne by countless individuals from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. While its origins can be traced back to the Arabian Peninsula, it has transcended geographical boundaries and cultural barriers, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of Arabic names and their influence on global cultures.
People
Yahayra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yahayra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Y
Other first names starting with Y with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Yahayra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yahayra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 200 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yahayra 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 1,713,772 US residents.
Is Yahayra a common name?
We classify Yahayra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 204 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yahayra most popular?
The single biggest year for Yahayra was 1996, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yahayra is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Yahayra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yahayra 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.