Yahya

Yahya is a masculine given name of Arabic origin. It is the Arabic form of John, derived from the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious." The name is common in the Arab world and in Muslim-majority communities, and it has several spellings, including Yahia, Yahiya, Ihya, and Yahiyeh.

In Islamic tradition, Yahya refers to the Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist), the son of Zakariya and cousin of Isa (Jesus). He is honored as a righteous prophet and messenger, noted for piety, asceticism, and devotion to God. In the Quran, Yahya is described as pure and faithful, and he is regarded as a forerunner to Isa's mission.

The name is used across many Muslim-majority countries for boys, and has also appeared among various historical and contemporary figures, including Yahya Khan, a Pakistani military ruler and president (1969–1971), and Yahya Jammeh, the Gambian leader who governed from 1994 to 2017.