Isaiah

A Hebrew name meaning Yahweh is salvation

Isaiah comes from Hebrew Yeshayahu, combining elements for “to save” and the name of the Hebrew God. Its meaning is “Yahweh is salvation.” The English form is especially familiar through the biblical prophet and the book that bears his name.

The prophet is associated with Jerusalem and Judah in the eighth century BC, during the period of Assyrian expansion. His name became central to both Jewish and Christian scriptural traditions. As an English given name, Isaiah came into wider use after the Protestant Reformation, alongside other names drawn from the Hebrew Bible.

A remarkable ancient manuscript

The Book of Isaiah has an especially important place in the history of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Great Isaiah Scroll was among the original seven scrolls discovered near Qumran in 1947. It preserves the complete biblical book, making it an exceptional witness to the text's ancient transmission.

Its fifty-four columns contain all sixty-six chapters of the Hebrew book. Dating to around the second century BC, the scroll is roughly a thousand years older than the Hebrew Bible manuscripts known before the Dead Sea discoveries. The Israel Museum preserves it in the Shrine of the Book.

More than seven meters long, it brings the scale of ancient bookmaking into view: a single manuscript containing the book across a continuous sequence of columns.

Isaiah Thomas and American printing

Printer Isaiah Thomas supplies a different historical bearer. During the American Revolution, he published the Massachusetts Spy and moved his press and type from Boston to Worcester for safety. His career developed into a substantial printing and bookselling business.

In 1810, he published The History of Printing in America. Two years later, he founded the American Antiquarian Society, creating an institution devoted to preserving the country's written record. His own books, newspapers, and other printed material became the foundation of its collection.

Thomas's work gives the biblical name a place in the history of American publishing and libraries. The society continues to preserve early printed material, extending the collecting project he began in 1812.

Pronunciation and related forms

American English usually pronounces Isaiah eye-ZAY-uh, while British English also uses eye-ZYE-uh. Both place the stress on the middle syllable. Isiah and Izaiah are related English spellings. Hebrew Yeshayahu, Italian Isaia, and Spanish Isaías belong to the same wider family.

Popularity in the United States

Isaiah's largest American count and best rank for boys came in 2006, when 10,459 births placed it at number 39. It ranked number 49 in 2015, number 51 in 2020, and number 57 in 2025, with 5,267 boys recorded that year. It has remained a substantial American choice well after its largest annual total.

How popular is Isaiah?

In 2025, Isaiah ranked #57 among boys in the United States, with 5,267 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1880; its largest annual count was 10,459 in 2006. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.