חיה
Chaya means “life, living”
Chaya is a girl's name of Hebrew origin.
Traditionally added to the name of a gravely ill person as a wish for life.
- In Hebrew
- חיה
- In English letters
- Chaya
- Other English spellings
- Haya, Chaia
- Other Hebrew spellings
- חייה
- Meaning
- Life, living
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Given to
- Girls
- Gematria value
- 23
30,031 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Chaya.
- 30,025 of them are women and girls, and 6 are men and boys.
- 806 of them were born in 2021, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 3,834, against 3,259 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is about the same.
- The total includes the other Hebrew spellings the register counts separately: חייה. The chart shows the spelling חיה alone.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Chaya is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling חיה today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish girls | 29,901 | 755 | 12 of 678 |
| Jewish boys | 6 | fewer than 5 | – |
| Muslim girls | 33 | 0 | – |
In 2024, Chaya ranked 12 of 678 among the names given to Jewish girls.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Chaya in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Chaya.
What does the name Chaya mean?
Chaya means “life, living”. Chaya is a girl's name of Hebrew origin. Traditionally added to the name of a gravely ill person as a wish for life.
Is Chaya a boy's name or a girl's name?
Chaya is mainly a girl's name. Of the 30,031 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 30,025 are women and girls and 6 are men and boys.
How do you write Chaya in Hebrew?
Chaya is written חיה in Hebrew. The register also counts these other Hebrew spellings: חייה.
How many people in Israel are named Chaya?
30,031 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Chaya today. The most were born in 2021. In 2024, Chaya ranked 12 of 678 among the names given to Jewish girls.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.