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Isaac Baby boy name meaning, origin, and popularity

Isaac name meaning and origin

Derived from the Hebrew Yitzhak, Isaac means "he will laugh." Isaac is a classic, biblical name with a rich history. In the Bible, Isaac is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites. He's the son of the elderly Sarah and Abraham. Fun fact: The name is thought to have gained its meaning because news of Abraham and Sarah having a child at such an old age evoked laughter.

While the name Isaac is significant to those of the Christian and Jewish faiths, it's also a common name among Muslims. In the Quran, Isaac is mentioned 15 times.

This strong, two-syllable name is pronounced "EYE-zik." It's most commonly spelled Isaac, but you may occasionally see it spelled Izaak or Isaak. Possible nicknames include Ike, Ikey, and Ise. Similar boy names that start with I include Ivan, Isaiah, Irwin, and Ismael.

Isaac was a common name in the early 20th century, but then dipped in popularity for many years. In the 1990s, Isaac jumped back into the top 100 boy names in the United States. It has continued its rise and has been in the top 50 boy names on the Social Security Administration list since 2013.

BabyCenter parents are also fans of this name, ranking it in the top 100 boy names since 2019. (BabyCenter's ranking is based on data from hundreds of thousands of parents who share their baby's name with us.)

Given Isaac's rich history and modern appeal, as well as its religious significance, you can expect to see Isaac on top baby name charts for many years to come.

Isaac name popularity

Popularity over time

babies per million
Source: Social Security Administration & BabyCenter user data

Isaac in pop culture

Issac Heller
Character on the ABC TV show Once Upon a Time
Isaac Chroner
Character from the Stephen King short story "Children of the Corn"
Isaac Davis
Character played by Woody Allen in the American romantic comedy-drama film Manhattan
Isaac Kleiner
Character in the video games Half-Life and Half-Life 2
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Famous people named Isaac

Isaac Newton
English mathematician, astronomer, and physicist, widely recognized as one of the greatest scientists of all time
Isaac Asimov
Russian-born American writer and chemist
Isaac Barrow
English mathematician and theologian who played an early role in the development of calculus
Isaac Brock
American musician and lead singer of the band Modest Mouse
Isaac Casaubon
French-born British scholar and philologist who studied the history of languages
Isaac Hanson
American singer and founding member of the three-person band of brothers, Hanson
Isaac Kashdan
American chess grandmaster who was twice U.S. Open champion
Isaac Peral
Spanish engineer, naval officer, and designer of the first successful full-electric battery-powered submarine
Isaac Shelby
First governor of Kentucky
Isaac Singer
Businessman and investor best known for developing the Singer sewing machine
Isaac Watts
English Christian minister, theologian and hymn writer

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