"Sign, miracle, verse of the Qur'an." Every verse of the Qur'an is called an āya — a sign of God's presence. Naming a daughter Aya is one of the most beloved spiritual choices among Arabic-speaking families.
A"Sign, miracle, verse of the Qur'an." Every verse of the Qur'an is called an āya — a sign of God's presence. Naming a daughter Aya is one of the most beloved spiritual choices among Arabic-speaking families.
Arabic root: ʾ-y-y — أ-ي-ي, sign, verse
Also a Japanese name ("colorful, design") and a Hebrew name ("bird") — triple convergence. In the US, reads easily and short. Rapidly gaining ground.
Aya means "sign" in Arabic, "to fly" in Hebrew, and "colour" in Japanese — three independent traditions with the same two-syllable name. A practical guide for parents choosing across cultures.
Read the full guide Related guide · 11 minFive language traditions, five different ways of saying "miracle" — and the baby names each one produced. From Arabic Aya to Hebrew Nesya, Greek Theodora to Latin Mirabel, with origin notes for parents.
Read the full guidePopularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.