Issa

The Arabic name for Jesus in the Qur’an

Issa represents the Arabic masculine name عيسى, also written Isa in Latin letters. In the Qur’an, this is the name of Jesus, son of Mary. It therefore carries a clear scriptural association. “Messiah” is a title attached to Jesus in that tradition, rather than a literal translation of Issa itself. The Arabic pronunciation /ˈʕiː.saː/ has two syllables, with stress on the first and long I and A vowels. The first vowel sounds like a long “ee”; before it comes the Arabic consonant ʿayn, a throat sound that the spelling Issa does not show. Its long vowels and continuous S can give the name a gentle, unhurried sound. The final open vowel leaves a lighter impression than a clipped consonant ending, even though the name’s cultural association is substantial.

Etymology: A Latin-letter rendering of Arabic ʿĪsā (عيسى), the name used for Jesus in the Qur’an.