| Isaac | Isaiah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | He will laugh | Yahweh is salvation |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EYE-zik | eye-ZAY-uh |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2007 (10,274) | 2006 (10,459) |
| In 2025 | 5,953 | 5,267 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Isaac | Isaiah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 39,997 | 32,963 |
| 2010s | 94,574 | 76,320 |
| 2000s | 90,761 | 92,786 |
| 1990s | 40,271 | 36,586 |
| 1980s | 18,374 | 6,709 |
| 1970s | 10,480 | 1,578 |
| 1960s | 4,605 | 727 |
| 1950s | 5,479 | 1,180 |
| 1940s | 5,064 | 1,194 |
| 1930s | 4,715 | 1,039 |
| 1920s | 6,552 | 1,262 |
| 1910s | 4,952 | 845 |
| 1900s | 1,638 | 263 |
| 1890s | 1,735 | 264 |
| 1880s | 2,311 | 304 |
Isaac is from the Hebrew Yiṣḥaq, “he will laugh,” a reference to Sarah’s joy at his birth in Genesis.
Isaiah comes from the Hebrew Yeshayahu, “Yahweh is salvation.” He was one of the greatest Old Testament prophets, widely quoted in the New Testament.
Isaac is more popular than Isaiah today: about 5,953 US babies were given the name Isaac in 2025, compared with 5,267 named Isaiah.
Isaac means He will laugh (Hebrew origin), while Isaiah means Yahweh is salvation (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Isaac first appears in 1880 and Isaiah in 1880, so Isaac has the longer recorded history.