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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Yahya or Eesa?

131 replies

Aaliyah1 · 04/01/2014 18:40

I need some help guys with the two above names. We are having a baby boy and like these two names. I wanted to know the opinion of non Muslims (Muslims too Wink) of what you think of them. I'm swaying towards one but my DH is swaying to another Hmm

Yahya is the Arabic for John and Eesa is Arabic for Jesus.

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CrimboTango · 04/01/2014 19:35

I like Eesa more, but prefer the spelling of Isa. Phonetically simple and it is a beautiful name.

I'm non Muslim but recognised them easily as Muslim boy names. Jesus and John are both considered prophets in Islam, what's so confusing about that?

TheWoollybacksWife · 04/01/2014 19:32

They are both lovely names. I don't think many of us tell other people the meaning or origin of our names on a regular basis.

Many football fans people will have heard the name Yahya thanks to Yaya Tourè - although he spells it differently the sound is familiar.

As a matter of interest which name so you favour OP?

Coconutfeet · 04/01/2014 19:32

I used to teach a Yahya and he was a lovely boy, so I really like the name. I'm surprised people think these names are difficult to pronounce.

BettyMacdonald · 04/01/2014 19:30

Love Eesa. Funnily enough my pregnant Muslim friend and I were discussing Arabic boys names last night. I shall squirrel that one away for her Smile

harrietspy · 04/01/2014 19:27

My son has one of each in his class, but there are lots more Eesas in the school. I love Eesa! Where I live (in a big city) it's a mainstream name.

Happy choosing!

weirdthing · 04/01/2014 19:27

I met a little boy a while ago called Yahya - I asked him his name then asked him to repeat it about 5 times because I couldn't get my head around the weird sound. So sorry, but I don't like it.

badtime · 04/01/2014 19:27

I am really surprised at people saying that they can't pronounce them - they are very simple names, pronounced the way they are spelt. As if Asa is more intuitive or something! Hmm - I know how it is pronounced, but I could definitely make a better stab at Eesa if I didn't. (I am not Muslim or Arab)

I prefer Eesa, but I know a couple of little Eesa/Isa s born in the last year or so, if that bothers you.

MatriarchMommy · 04/01/2014 19:25

I know a little Eesa, hes a lovely boy, I think its easier to see how to say it too.

Catsmamma · 04/01/2014 19:23

I thought the two were alternatives to Grandma/Nannie

isn't Yahya greek for grandmother?

StrangeGlue · 04/01/2014 19:21

Is eesa said E-sa? I like that, never seen it before.

I can't work out how to say the other - sorry - so can't comment.

AnneWentworth · 04/01/2014 19:18

Eesa all the way. It is beautiful and I don't find it feminine and we considered it for all of ours, albeit spelt as Isa.

MaeveBehave · 04/01/2014 19:16

What about Isam (eesam).
Eesa looks like a girls name, and an odd one at that.
Just because a lot of spanish speakers call their son jesus does not make it any more usual here.

NoComet · 04/01/2014 19:16

I haven't a clue how to pronounce either.

I realise that Jesus is respected by Muslims and John is an equally Christian New Testament name, but living in a 99% white rural area a small Muslim child telling his school friends his name is the Arabic for Jesus is going to confuse people no end.

MaeveBehave · 04/01/2014 19:13

I dont like either of them. Go a bit more mainstream. That's just my advice.
similarly, eg Maeve in the uk - ok. Madhbh - inadvisable.

curlew · 04/01/2014 19:08

Loads of people from Spanish spelling countries have a form of Jesus in their names- do you have an issue with that too?Hmm

Yahya is harder for an an English speaking tongue to get round, if that's important to you.....

BananaPie · 04/01/2014 19:06

I like Eesa (I'm not a Muslim, but recognised both as boys' names)

EmmaGellerGreen · 04/01/2014 19:03

Eesa is lovely.

Jenijena · 04/01/2014 19:02

I like both but prefer Yahya.

Joshua is a form of Jesus too, for the poster asking why you'd name someone Jesus. And Jesus is a very common name in some countries.

brokenhearted55a · 04/01/2014 19:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zinher · 04/01/2014 19:00

As well as Musa

zinher · 04/01/2014 18:58

Love Eesa.

Jaynebxl · 04/01/2014 18:56

I assumed both to be girls' names too.

PurplePidjin · 04/01/2014 18:56

To my very British eyes, they look like names that a 2yo sibling would use because they can't pronounce the "proper" names.

If you live in an Arabic country or community then they're great and i love the actual sounds. But i don't think they'd transfer well to a non-arabic community Sad

Yusef, Jacob/Jakob, Caleb/Kaleb, Esau or Eli are Old Testament (sorry, that's my frame of reference and i know there are many similarities with the Koran) names that to me sound similar and would work well in either culture?

jazzyjenbo · 04/01/2014 18:55

I know an Eesa, lovely little boy with a white british mum and asian dad. X

AngieBolen · 04/01/2014 18:54

From an ignorant non-Muslim I thought they were girls names. Blush

As an ignorant Christian, why would you want to name your DC a variant of Jesus? Blush

How do you pronounce yahya? Like ya-ya? If so, I quite like it.

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