Head of the political wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar (C), and MP, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative (Al Mubadara) Mustafa Barghouti (2nd R), attend a rally in support of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque in Gaza City on October 1, 2022.
Mahmud Hams / AFP
Britain’s Campaign Against Antisemitism calls the trend a “damning indictment of our society.”
The first name of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who orchestrated the October 7th terror attacks and was killed by Israeli forces about a year later.
Also, the name that saw the biggest rise in popularity among baby names in the UK in the year following October 7th.
Yahya became a new entry to the top 100 names for boys in 2024, rising 33 places to position 93, according to official statistics.
It is, of course, possible that this significant rise in popularity of the first name Yahya is unrelated—totally or, at least, largely—to October 7th.
But Britain’s Campaign Against Antisemitism insists “it is hard to imagine any reason other than admiration for Sinwar that his name has surged in popularity amongst parents.”
It’s a damning indictment of our society that a name synonymous with mass murder and antisemitic terrorism is growing in popularity.
Also in Germany last week, a baby boy was born whose full name is Yahya Sinwar—both the first and last name of the Hamas terrorist. “Where,” asked the Federal Association of Jews in the AfD, “are the prosecutors when you need them?”
Jewish rapper Ben Salomo, who brought the story to the German public’s attention, also questioned whether it should be allowed “to name one’s child after a terrorist and mass murderer.”
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
