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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Issa

Issa

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced EE-suh /ˈi.sΙ™/Medium

Meaning: Arabic form of Jesus (Isa), used in the Quran.Medium

In 30 seconds: Issa is the Arabic form of the name Jesus (Isa), the form used in the Quran.
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Origin MediumArabic
MeaningArabic form of Jesus (Isa), used in the Quran.
U.S. rank (2025)#1682 β†˜ Falling
2025 U.S. births98 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 2,286

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 202419692025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

In Arabic, Issa renders the name of Jesus, who appears in the Quran as a revered prophet, which gives the name deep religious weight in Muslim communities. It also overlaps with Isa, the more common transliteration. The short, two-syllable shape makes it travel easily across languages.

Related spellings and cognates include Isa, Eesa, and Essa, with Yasu and the Hebrew Yeshua reflecting the same figure in other traditions. American writer and producer Issa Rae, creator of the HBO series Insecure, carries it as her given first name.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Issa is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Issa β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

EesaEssaIsaYasuYeshua

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Issa Rae (1985-present)
    American actress, writer, and producer who created and starred in the HBO comedy series 'Insecure'. ('Issa' is her given first name, born Jo-Issa Rae Diop.)

If you like Issa…

Isaβ€” The standard transliteration of the same Arabic name for Jesus.
Eesaβ€” A respelling that stretches the long opening vowel.
Yeshuaβ€” The Hebrew form behind the same figure the name names.
Essaβ€” shares Issa's Arabic roots
Musaβ€” another Arabic name

Explore names like Issa

By themearabic

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Issa mean?

Issa is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Arabic tradition.

How do you pronounce Issa?

It's commonly said EE-suh /ˈi.sΙ™/.

Is Issa a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Issa is used as a boy name.

How popular is Issa?

In 2024, Issa ranked #1530 in the U.S. for boys, with 115 births recorded.

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