Issa
Boy name · #1682 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
In 2025, 98 baby boys were named Issa, placing it at #1682 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2386, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,367 boys born in 2025 was named Issa.
Babies named Issa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 56-year story
Issa first appears in the Social Security records in 1969, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 115 babies and a rank of #1530. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Issa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Issa in class?
Issa scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Issa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Issa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Issas were MI (13), NY (11), TX (9), OH (8), CA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Issa
Statistically, parents drawn to Issa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Essa, Isa, Ilan, Eesa, and Moussa.
EssaIsaIlanEesaMoussaImanLipaKota
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Issa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 98 | #1677 |
| 2024 | 115 | #1530 |
| 2023 | 109 | #1591 |
| 2022 | 92 | #1782 |
| 2021 | 84 | #1841 |
| 2020 | 88 | #1743 |
| 2019 | 73 | #2001 |
| 2018 | 87 | #1762 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2130 |
| 2016 | 81 | #1845 |
| 2015 | 54 | #2386 |
| 2014 | 71 | #2000 |
| 2013 | 58 | #2225 |
| 2012 | 66 | #2066 |
| 2011 | 56 | #2284 |
| 2010 | 55 | #2324 |
| 2009 | 46 | #2663 |
| 2008 | 49 | #2542 |
| 2007 | 68 | #2034 |
| 2006 | 45 | #2621 |
| 2005 | 62 | #2008 |
| 2004 | 38 | #2741 |
| 2003 | 52 | #2128 |
| 2002 | 40 | #2470 |
| 2001 | 37 | #2562 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Issa a popular boy name?
Issa ranked #1682 among boys in 2025 with 98 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2386.
When was the name Issa most popular?
Issa peaked in 2024, when 115 American boys received the name (ranked #1530 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Issa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,367 newborn American boys was named Issa. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.