Given name
Urijah
“God is light”·“The Lord is my light”
Urijah is a variant of Uriah. Interpretations include “God is light” (Hebrew) and “The Lord is my light” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewאוריה
Meaning & origin
What it means
Urijah is a variant of Uriah. Interpretations include “God is light” (Hebrew) and “The Lord is my light” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Urijah is a variant of Uriah. An origin associated with Uriah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
From the Hebrew verb 'or (אור), “to be or give light.”
From biblical name research
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2000. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Urijah is a variant of Uriah. The history of Uriah gives this family its wider story. Uriah appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Urijah appears in 2 Samuel 11:11.
From biblical name research
Urijah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,778
- 3,693 boys · 85 girls
- Most popular year
- 2009
- 420 babies
- 2025
- 44
- #2,876 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −56%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 44 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,876 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 55.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 403 in 2009. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,739 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
See also 8
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Urijah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“resembling an aggressive dog”
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Gianni
“God is gracious”
80% boys · 20% girls
Lyjah
>99% boys
Izayiah
>99% boys
Juanpablo
>99% boys