The name Isaac is classic in its own right. It has roots that date back to biblical times. Isaac is understood to be one of the three patriarchs of the Isrilaties. He was known to be the son of Sarah and Abraham who were considered to be of an older generation to have a baby.
The name Isaac means ‘he will laugh.’ The name is thought to have acquired this meaning as communities in the time of Sarah and Abraham thought it to be hysterical that they were to have a child at such an elderly age.
This name is also derived from the Hebrew name Yitzhak which means ‘ one who rejoices.’
The name itself is significant to Christians and Jews alike but it is also a name that can be common in the Muslim faith. In the holy book Quran Isaac is mentioned several times meaning that the popularity of the name is renowned among many religions and cultures.
In this day and age, names don’t tend to have gender as such but Isaac tends to be most common for little boys.
- Isaac Name Origin: Hebrew
- Isaac Name Meaning: He will laugh
- Pronunciation: Eye – Zac
- Gender: commonly used as a masculine name.
How Popular is the Isaac Name?
Once a popular name, Isaac disappeared from the baby names lists but made a comeback in the 1990s. Since then it has made a steady incline reaching to number 28 in 2013 and still at 39 in 2020.
Variations of the Name Isaac
With such a strong biblical link, the name Isaac can come in many variations. Seek the alternatives to the name Isaac below.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Ike | laughter | Hebrew |
| Isa | Laughter; salvation of God; the Lord helps me | Hebrew |
| Zac | God Remembers | Hebrew |
| Isaiah | God is salvation | Hebrew |
| Izel | Unique | Aztec |
| Isra | Riches | Arabic |
| Isidore | The gift of procreation | Greek |
The name Isaac In Other Languages
There are many variations of the name Isaac, with such a rich biblical past it is not a surprise to see that the name itself has an equivalent in most languages.
| Names | Language |
| Iisakki | Finnish |
| Isaak | Dutch |
| Isac | Romanian |
| Isacco | Italian |
| Isaka | Swahili |
| Isaque | Portuguese |
| Ishak | Turkish |
Alternative Names Starting with ‘I’
Parents can become drawn to a name in the early stages of pregnancy but only to find that the gender is the opposite of their choice of name. Isaac has a feminine equivalent in Isacca but it hasn’t gained any popularity and has never appeared in the top names for babies. To combat this many switch to feminine names with the same initial beginning.
Feminine Alternatives
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Isabella | God is perfection | Spanish |
| Isabelle | Devoted to God | French |
| Isai | Music | Hebrew |
| Isannah | Combination of Isabel and Susannah | American |
Male Alternatives
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Ichabod | Without honor | Hebrew |
| Ignatius | Fiery | Latin |
| Irwin | Boar Friend | Old English |
| Ivan | God is gracious | Greek |
Famous People Named Isaac
With the name meaning of Isaac gracing the baby charts for years there are some names which you may recognize. Check out some of the famous names who share the name Isaac.
- Isaac Albéniz, Spanish pianist and composer.
- Isaac Kashdan, American chess grandmaster.
- Isaac Hayes, American singer-songwriter, winner of an Academy award with the song “Theme from Shaft”
- Isaac Stern, Ukrainian-born American conductor and violinist.
- Isaac Heller, American toy manufacturer, co-founder of Remco