Given name & surname
Yehuda
“praised”·“one who praises God”·“jew”
In Jewish use, Yehuda is a form of Judah. Interpretations include “praised” and “one who praises God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions. Yehuda is a variant of Yehudi. One interpretation is “jew.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Jewish use, Yehuda is a form of Judah. Interpretations include “praised” and “one who praises God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions. Yehuda is a variant of Yehudi. One interpretation is “jew.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Jewish use, Yehuda is a form of Judah. An origin associated with Judah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Jewish use, Yehuda is used as a form of Judah.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1950. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Yehuda through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,885
- 7,885 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 365 babies
- 2025
- 351
- #741 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +32%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 351 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 741 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 31.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New Jersey had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (154). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,492 as a first name in 2020; 141 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.
Yehuda’s family of names
Yehuda shares a linguistic root with Judah. In German usage, Yehuda has a related form in Juda. Yehuda is a form of Judah.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Yehuda
- Yehuda AmichaiIsraeli poet (1924-2000)
- Yehuda BauerHolocaust survivor and Israeli historian (1926–2024)
- Yehuda AshlagOrthodox Jewish Rabbi and Kabbalist1880–1954
- Judah Alkalairabbi (1798–1878)
- Yehuda AlhariziRabbi, translator, and poet1165–1225
- Yehuda LeviIsraeli actor and modelborn 1979
- Yehudah GlickIsraeli political activistborn 1965
- Yehuda GruenfeldIsraeli chess playerborn 1956
- Judah ben Saul ibn TibbonSpanish translator and rabbi1120
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
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