يحيى

Yaya

boyWest African form of Arabic Yahya

Yaya is a Muslim boy name meaning “Form of Yahya (John), a Prophet”.

MeaningForm of Yahya (John), a Prophet
GenderBoy
OriginWest African form of Arabic Yahya
Arabic spellingيحيى
PronunciationYAH-yah
Muslim name?Islamic / Arabic name

Meaning and origin of Yaya

Yaya is the common West African form of Yaḥyā, the Prophet known in English as John the Baptist, son of Zakariyyā. The h sound is dropped in Manding, Wolof and Fula speech. Well-known bearers include footballer Yaya Touré of Côte d'Ivoire and former Gambian president Yahya (Yaya) Jammeh.

Is Yaya a Muslim name?

Yes. Yaya is a Muslim name, the West African form of the Prophet Yaḥyā (John), son of Zakariyyā.

Is Yaya in the Quran?

God addresses him in the Quran: 'O Yahya, take the Scripture with determination' (Quran 19:12).

Where is the name Yaya used?

Very common in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Guinea, Senegal and the Gambia.

Gifts with the name Yaya

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Spellings and variants of Yaya

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More boy names like Yaya

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Yaya mean?

Yaya means 'Form of Yahya (John), a Prophet'. It comes from West African form of Arabic Yahya.

Is Yaya a Muslim name?

Yes. Yaya is a Muslim name, the West African form of the Prophet Yaḥyā (John), son of Zakariyyā.

How do you write Yaya in Arabic?

Yaya is written يحيى in Arabic script.

How do you pronounce Yaya?

Yaya is pronounced YAH-yah.

Is Yaya mentioned in the Quran?

God addresses him in the Quran: 'O Yahya, take the Scripture with determination' (Quran 19:12).

Updated October 2026 · Researched by the Modern Muslim Names team. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.