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Yahya

Boy name · 141 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Yahya: 141 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 27 births in 2025.

Yahya is the Arabic and Persian form of John, tracing back through the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious." It holds deep significance in Islam as the name of Yahya ibn Zakariyya, known as John the Baptist in Christian tradition, who is revered as a prophet and a righteous figure in the Quran. The name's English-language counterpart, John, has been borne by countless historical figures, including King John of Scotland (1292–1296) and the medieval mathematician John of Holyrood. While the name Yahya itself doesn't directly name any Scottish places, the root element "Yohanan" shares a distant etymological connection with the name Ian, a Scottish Gaelic form of John. In Scotland, Yahya has been a rare but present choice since the 1990s, reflecting the country's growing multicultural communities.