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يَحْيَى

Yahya: meaning of the name

Boy Hebrew origin Yaḥyā

ProphetIn the Quran

“He will live”; name of the prophet Yahya (John the Baptist)

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The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Maryam 19:7.

Yahya in Islam

Allah Himself gave this name: “O Zakariyya, We give you good news of a boy whose name is Yahya; We have not given this name to anyone before” (19:7). A prophet and the son of Zakariyya, he is mentioned five times in the Quran; the Prophet ﷺ met him with ʿĪsā in the second heaven during the Ascension (al-Bukhari 3207).

Meaning of the name Yahya

Yahya is the name the Quran gives to John the Baptist, son of Zakariyya. In Arabic it is the verb form “he lives, he will live”, from the root ḥ-y-y (life); it corresponds to the Hebrew Yohanan, “God has shown grace”. Commentators such as Qatada explained that he was so named because Allah gave him life through faith.

In Arabic
يَحْيَى يحيى
Transliteration
Yaḥyā
Root
ح ي ي · 189 occurrences in the Quran
Gender
Boy
Origin
Hebrew

Is Yahya in the Quran?

Yes: Yahya is named in the Quran 5 times, in 4 surahs.

يَٰزَكَرِيَّآ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَٰمٍ ٱسْمُهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا ۝٧

[He was told], "O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any before [this] name."

Surah Maryam, Verse 7

يَٰيَحْيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِقُوَّةٍ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُ ٱلْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا ۝١٢

[Allāh said], "O John, take the Scripture [i.e., adhere to it] with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a boy

Surah Maryam, Verse 12

فَنَادَتْهُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٌ يُصَلِّى فِى ٱلْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَىٰ مُصَدِّقًۢا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ۝٣٩

So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allāh gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allāh and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous."

Surah Ali ’Imran, Verse 39

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُۥ زَوْجَهُۥٓ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا خَٰشِعِينَ ۝٩٠

So We responded to him, and We gave to him John, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.

Surah Al-Anbya, Verse 90

Another verse

All the words of the root ح ي ي in the Quran (189 occurrences)

Is this name permissible?

No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Yahya in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.

Read the rules for choosing a name

This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.

Writing Yahya in each language

French
Yahia, Yahya, Yahiya
English
Yahya, Yahia
Spanish
Yahya, Yahia
Turkish
Yahya
Arabic
يَحْيَى

Similar names

Same root (ح ي ي)

See also

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