Yehuda is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "praise" or "thanksgiving." It is derived from the Hebrew word "tehuda," which means to praise or thank. The name Yehuda has a rich history and significance in Judaism.
In the Bible, Yehuda was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, founded by Judah, the fourth son of Jacob. According to the story, Judah's mother Leah named him Yehuda because she hoped that her son would be praised by his father. The tribe of Yehuda eventually became one of the most powerful and influential tribes in ancient Israel.
Throughout history, the name Yehuda has been given to many notable figures in Jewish culture and society. For example, Yehuda Halevi was a renowned poet and philosopher who lived during the 12th century. His poetic work "The Kuzari" is still widely studied today. Additionally, Yehuda Amichai was an Israeli poet whose works were translated into many languages and influenced generations of writers.
In modern times, the name Yehuda continues to be popular among Jewish families around the world. It remains a symbol of Jewish heritage and culture, embodying the values of gratitude and praise. Whether given as a first or middle name, Yehuda carries with it a deep sense of history and meaning that has endured for centuries.
The name Yehuda has seen a significant rise in popularity over the past few decades in the United States. Starting with just 6 births in 1950 and 6 births again in 1953, it wasn't until the late 1950s that we started to see an increase in its prevalence.
From 7 births in both 1957 and 1958, there was a significant jump to 13 births in 1960. This trend continued throughout the 1960s, with consistent increases year after year. The most notable jumps include 10 births in 1964, followed by another 10 in both 1966 and 1967.
However, it wasn't until the early 1970s that Yehuda began to really gain traction. Between 1970 and 1973, there were 23, 22, and 19 births respectively, showing a consistent growth in popularity during this time period.
The late 1970s saw another significant increase, with 28 births in 1975, 31 births in both 1977 and 1978, followed by an impressive 38 births in 1979. This growth continued into the early 1980s, with 41 births in 1980 and a whopping 57 births in 1981.
The popularity of Yehuda fluctuated throughout the mid to late 1980s, with numbers ranging from 46 to 97 births per year. However, it was during this time that we started to see the name become more widely recognized, as evidenced by its appearance on the Social Security Administration's list of top 1000 baby names for the first time in 1985.
By the early 1990s, Yehuda had gained even more popularity, with 75 births in 1991 and 76 births in 1992. This growth continued throughout the decade, culminating in a record-breaking 122 births in 1998.
The early 2000s saw a slight dip in the number of babies named Yehuda, but this was short-lived. Between 2005 and 2012, there were over 100 births per year, with the highest being 232 births in 2012.
More recently, Yehuda's popularity has continued to rise, with 269 births in 2019, 276 births in 2020, and an impressive 334 births in 2022. So far in 2023, there have been 318 births named Yehuda.
In total, since 1950, there have been 7,161 babies named Yehuda born in the United States. This demonstrates a clear and consistent trend of increasing popularity over time, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.