Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Messiah isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1973. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Messiah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 28,100
- 27,064 boys · 1,036 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 2,265 babies
- 2025
- 1,675
- #207 for boys · #10,635 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −3%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 99% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,666 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 207 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 9 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (185). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 11,767 as a first name in 2020; 235 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.
Messiah’s family of names
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Messiah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Malakai
“a messenger of God”
>99% boys
Elian
“a spirited man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Eliam
“the God of my nation”
>99% boys
Maddox
“born into wealth and prosperity” · “the son of the benefactor”
96% boys · 4% girls
Alijah
Alijah is a masculine given name.
94% boys · 6% girls
Legend
“one who is memorable”
97% boys · 3% girls
Koa
“a fearless man”
90% boys · 10% girls
Callahan
Callahan is a masculine given name from Irish.
90% boys · 10% girls