Yah

Yah is a name element associated with the divine name YHWH, the tetragrammaton traditionally regarded as the personal name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible. In some contexts, Yah is used as a shortened or partial form of that divine name, appearing in theophoric names and liturgical phrases. The term is distinct from the full name YHWH and from later Latinized renderings such as Jehovah.

Etymology and usage are linked to Hebrew linguistics and the transmission of sacred names. The exact vocalization of YHWH is not known with certainty because ancient Hebrew writings widely avoided pronouncing the name aloud. Scholars often reconstruct a form like Yahweh as a scholarly convention, while many Jewish and some Christian traditions substitute Adonai or Hashem in liturgy. The syllable Yah itself occurs in phrases like Hallelu-Yah, meaning “praise Yah,” and appears as a component in Hebrew theophoric names such as Eliyahu (Elijah), which incorporate the element Yahu or Yah.

Religious contexts vary in how Yah is treated. In Judaism, the Tetragrammaton is treated with reverence and not spoken aloud; readers typically say Adonai or Hashem when encountering the divine name in scripture. In many Christian contexts, scholars and translators may render the divine name as Yahweh or Jehovah in certain discussions, though most English translations use “the LORD.” Outside the Hebrew Bible, Yah appears in some religious movements and in the transliteration Jah or Jahweh in Afrocentric and Rastafari traditions, where Jah is used as a name for God.

Overall, Yah serves as a linguistic and theological shorthand linked to the broader subject of the name of God in ancient Israelite religion, with usage varying across languages, traditions, and scholarly conventions.