Isaac is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "he will laugh" or "he shall rejoice." It is derived from the Hebrew word "yitschaq," which means to laugh or to joke. According to the Bible, Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah in the Book of Genesis. He was born when Sarah was well past childbearing age, and his birth was accompanied by laughter due to its unexpected nature.
The name Isaac has been used throughout history by various notable figures. For instance, Isaac Newton was an English mathematician, physicist, and astronomer who is widely recognized as one of the most influential scientists in history. Additionally, Isaac Asimov was a renowned American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, known for his works of science fiction and popular science.
Isaac has also been used as a surname, with some notable bearers including Isaac Singer, the American inventor and businessman who founded the Singer Sewing Machine Company, and Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Polish-American writer and Nobel laureate in Literature.
The name Isaac has been given to babies of both genders in the United States since at least 1981, with some years showing more popularity than others. Between 1981 and 2012, there were a total of 105 births registered for this name.
Interestingly, the number of babies named Isaac varied significantly from year to year during this period. In the earliest recorded year, 1981, six boys were given this name at birth. This number remained steady in 1991 but decreased to five in 1998 before jumping up again to nine in 1999.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw fluctuations in the popularity of the name Isaac, with numbers ranging from five to eight births per year between 2000 and 2005. However, there was a notable spike in 2006 when thirteen babies were named Isaac.
After this peak, the number of annual births for boys named Isaac returned to lower levels, ranging from five to nine between 2007 and 2010. The most recent recorded year, 2012, saw seven newborn boys given the name Isaac.
Overall, these statistics illustrate how the popularity of the name Isaac has ebbed and flowed over time in the United States. Despite fluctuations, this classic moniker continues to be chosen for babies born each year.