Yahya or Eesa?

[Aaliyah1]

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 ) of what you think of them. I'm swaying towards one but my DH is swaying to another

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

[eurochick]

I have quite a few muslim friends and colleagues and have never heard of either and thought they were both girls names... I think Eesa is probably the easier in an Anglophone country.

[defuse]

Love both names op, both on my shorlist too
Eesa my favourite too.
Congratulations

[Lottiedoubtie]

I was at school 20 years ago with a Yahya so it's been around in England for a while some of these responses are seriously rude.

To my ears OP Eesa sounds a lot nicer and I really like it.

I am biased about Yahya because he was a childhood bully - but in hindsight I suspect that that was bourne out of the bullying he also recieved, much of which was name based. I'd like to tell you that we live in more enlightened times, but this thread suggests otherwise. I believe 'my' Yahya went on to call himself 'John' at secondary school.

[DrSeuss]

Some of the posters here should be ashamed of themselves!
Both are beautiful names. I slightly prefer Eesa for no particular reason although my absolute favourite Islamic name is Youssef, which is how my white, Christian son is addressed whenever he is in a Muslim country on holiday.

Beautiful names for a beautiful child, mA!

[claretandamberforever]

I really like both of them (I'm a non-muslim). I think I'm swayed towards Eesa, but I love the sound of Yahya.

[Theas18]

Both names are fine neither stand out to me , interestingly DS (school 50% plus non white uk! lots of Muslims ) hasn't encountered anyone with either name. We know an eeshan though.

My favourite Muslim crossover name has to be Idris though. I know now he was king of Persia, but the lad himself is a big rugby player and jokes that he was clearly destined to play for wales lol

[Aaliyah1]

I Love Yusuf but a close friend has recently named there child this

I know loads of people who have given them selves 'western' names because there's wasn't so easy to pronounce. I really want to avoid this because I'd like my children to be aware of there culture and heritage, and not see it as a hinderance? Iyswim.

[Notawordfromtheladybird]

To my ears, the most westernized names are the ones you don't mispronounce...

Omar
Hussein
Tareq
Hassan


Or the ones where you can have an easy western nickname as a teenager.. Like Ashaar, nickname Ash.

[working9while5]

Ffs the ignorance is extreme here!

I prefer Eesa but if I'd had a Muslim lil boy I'd have been having a Muahawiyah so am possibly a bad judge. Also like Ali Shan, Subhaan, Saddique, Musa and Yusaf.

I grew up in Ireland in a town where EVERYONE was white Catholic and I can say all these names and many more having worked in a predominantly Asian area... funny that. Generally people who can't say these names really won't and are being a bit parochial/insular and often a little racist!

[DrSeuss]

Given the frankly bizarre choices of some of the parents whose kids I teach, go with a name that reflects your culture. If people manage to learn Leeanne, Tekeila, Astra, Cheyenne and Fiery Britania, all of whom have been in my class, they can learn your choice of name too!

[Boulders]

Prefer Eesa, Yahya sounds babyish.

Also love Ishmael, which works very well in both languages.

[Aaliyah1]

DrSeuss you must live in a very interesting area! I recognise Cheyenne (Chinese girl I knew) but the rest are all new to me!

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I prefer Yahya personally but both are nice names.

There are some culturally closeted posters here by the looks of things. I wouldn't worry op, people posting say, Welsh names, get similar responses.

[hazchem]

Eesa is great. In fact If I'd have known their was an Arabic equivalent of Jesus I would have gone for that for DS. I've always wanted the Spanish Jesus (HeyZuse) but it would be weird to have a Spanish name when neither of us are.

The only thing I would say is make sure it works with the surname. If you have an El or Al starting name I'd have a think about it.

Just to throw it in the mix Habbi is quite popular in Eqypt and I love that or the other one I like is Eltiyib.

[YoungBritishPissArtist]

I think Eesa is a beautiful name

I'm shocked at some of the posts on here, some sound like small-minded DM-reading Little Englanders

Jesus is a prophet in Islam, why would it be strange to name a child the Arabic version?

[hawkmcqueen]

Eesa is my preference, it sounds strong.

[mammmamia]

I'm not keen on Yahya, i didn't know it was a first name actually, I know someone whose surname is yahya.

I really like Eesa. I'd never heard the name before even though I live in an area with a sizeable Muslim population. my DS started school this year and there are 4 in his year! So don't know if that puts you off as its obviously quite popular. Spelt various ways but I prefer Esa, it's simplest and looks nice.

The boy in Homeland was actually Issa, pronounced Eyesa, which I like too.

[LadyIsabellasHollyWreath]

Oh yes you're right mammma. Lovely name spelled like that, and a bit less feminine than the single s version, but the pronunciation is a bit ambiguous if you care about that.

[meditrina]

I think Eesa is a lovely name.

[RightInTheKisser]

I have taught an Eisa pronounced Eesa and do prefer the Ei spelling. It's a really lovely name though.

[BEEwitched]

I love Eesa - I'd pronounce it with a long flat [eh] sound but that's just because that's how it'd be pronounced in my native tongue. I like either pronunciation.

[MsAspreyDiamonds]

I wanted Eesa but my dh went for another prophetic name instead. Eesa is lovely, very easy to pronounce with the double ee spelling as Isa is pronounced as I-sa with the emphasis on the I.

People don't realise that Jesus is respected in Islam as a prophet rather than a son of God & that there is a chapter in the Qur'an named after Mary (Maryam).

[mathanxiety]

I like them both.

Weirdly, Eesa is pronounced the same as Iosa (fada accent on the I, which is Irish for Jesus..

[mathanxiety]

Notawordfromtehladybird, I like the Yehia spelling too.

[IsabellaRockerfeller]

I like the sound of Eesa best.

I think it is far easier to pronounce and spell than Yahya (for people who are not familiar with these names)