Meaning
A name that means something.
IHe will laugh; laughter. Biblical son of Abraham.
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Popularity over time
319,026 U.S. births recorded
from 1880–2023.
A 143-year arc in numbers.
Popularity · 1880–2023
6,628 births in 2023
1880 1951 2023
Babies named per year Peak year Most recent
Islamic depth
Classical commentary, verse references, and what the name means in tradition. Prophet in the Qur'an.
Isḥāq إِسْحَاق
Ishaq (Isaac) is the second son of Ibrahim, born to Sarah in her old age as a miracle. He is the father of Yaqub (Jacob) and the ancestral link to the Bani Isra’il (Children of Israel).
From the Qur'an
""And his wife was standing, and she laughed. Then We gave her good tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, Yaqub.""
""And We gave him good tidings of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous.""
Variants & spellings
Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint. 2 ways to spell "Isaac".
Isaak Most common Ishaq
Name family
Isaac / Ishaq / Yitzhak
Son of Abraham and Sarah, prophet in both Islamic and Jewish tradition. The name comes from a root meaning “he laughs.”
Ishaq إِسْحَاق
Arabic Yitzhak יִצְחָּק
Hebrew Isaac
English / biblical Related guides
Read more in the Almanac.
Related guide · 8 min
30 Quranic Baby Names for Boys and Girls (With Verses)
30 names drawn from the Qur’an — prophets, named and referenced women, and meaningful Arabic concepts — each with its verse reference and classical meaning.
Read the full guide Related guide · 11 minBaby Names That Mean Miracle: Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Yoruba
Five 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 guideAdvertisement
Famous bearers
People who carry the name Isaac.
- IIsaac Newton (scientist)
Quick answers
People often ask about Isaac.
- What does the name Isaac mean?
- Isaac means he will laugh; laughter. Biblical son of Abraham.
- Where does the name Isaac come from?
- Isaac is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
- Is Isaac a boy or a girl name?
- Isaac is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Isaac are girls and 100% are boys.
- How popular is the name Isaac in 2023?
- Isaac ranks #12663 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2007 with 10,287 babies.
- How do you pronounce Isaac?
- Isaac is pronounced EYE-zak (2 syllables).
- Is Isaac mentioned in the Qur'an?
- Ishaq (Isaac) is the second son of Ibrahim, born to Sarah in her old age as a miracle.
- What are common spellings of Isaac?
- Isaac is also written as Isaak, Ishaq.
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About this page
Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.