Given name & surname
Issa
“a gift of God”
Issa is used as a given name and a surname. One Hebrew interpretation is “a gift of God.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “a gift of God.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In English usage, Issa developed from عيسى.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1969. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Issa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,217
- 2,288 boys · 929 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 196 babies
- 2025
- 157
- #1,682 for boys · #2,871 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +33%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 61% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 98 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,682 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 26.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 59 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Michigan had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,017 as a first name in 2020; 5,575 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Issa’s family of names
In English usage, Issa developed from the Arabic form عيسى. In French usage, Issa has a related form in Isa. Issa has a related form in Issah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Issa has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Issa
- Issa DiopMoroccan footballerborn 1997
- Issa RaeAmerican actress, writer and producerborn 1985
- Issa KaboréBurkinabè association football playerborn 2001
- Issa PliyevSoviet general (1903–1979)
- Issa HayatouCameroonian basketball player and football executive1946–2024
- Issa LayeQatari footballer (born 1997)
- Issa Serge CoeloChadian film directorborn 1967
- Isa Bey Ishaković15th century Bosnian nobleman, Ottoman general and governor of Bosnia1401–1470
- Issa BaSenegalese footballerborn 1981
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Issa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Azariah
“one who is helped by God”
52% boys · 48% girls
Micaiah
“who is like (Yahweh)?”
73% boys · 27% girls
Shiloh
“one who is peaceful; abundant” · “he who was sent”
42% boys · 58% girls
Yuriah
49% boys · 51% girls
Akari
61% boys · 39% girls
Aiman
45% boys · 55% girls
Peniel
“face of God”
41% boys · 59% girls
Briar
“resembling a thorny plant”
38% boys · 62% girls