Oya

♀ Girl

Pronounced OH-yah /ˈo.jɑ/Medium

Meaning: From the Yoruba Oya, linked to 'she tore; the tearer' (also the name of the Niger river); the Yoruba orisha of wind, storms, lightning, and change; routes uncertain; we note the deityLow

In 30 seconds: She tore; the tearer: Oya is the Yoruba goddess of wind and storms. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'OH-yah'). We note the deity.

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Origin LowYoruba

MeaningFrom the Yoruba Oya, linked to 'she tore; the tearer' (also the name of the Niger river); the Yoruba orisha of wind, storms, lightning, and change; routes uncertain; we note the deity

U.S. rank (2022)#11008 ↗ Rising

2022 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 38

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Oya comes from the Yoruba Oya, linked to 'she tore; the tearer' (also the Niger river); the Yoruba orisha of wind and storms (routes uncertain, which we note the deity). A crisp, classic name (said 'OH-yah').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely as a mythology name. Rare, the-storm-orisha at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Oya is linked to 'she tore; the tearer' in Yoruba (also the name of the Niger river) — the orisha of wind, storms, and change — a crisp, storied name (the routes are uncertain, which we note the deity; said 'OH-yah').

Overall data confidence 44%

References — Oya — Yoruba mythology; orisha; routes uncertain

Variations

OiáYansa

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Oya…

Shango— her husband, the thunder-orisha

Oshun— a companion river-orisha

Ola— shares the -a ending

Iya— a similarly popular pick

Tomi— a similarly popular pick

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Oya mean?

Oya is Yoruba, linked to 'she tore; the tearer' (also the Niger river); the orisha of wind and storms. The routes are uncertain. We note the deity.

How do you pronounce Oya?

It's said OH-yah /ˈo.jɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Oya a boy or girl name?

Oya is a girl's name.

How popular is Oya?

Oya is a very rare name in the U.S.