Yedidya, also spelled Yedidiah, is a Hebrew name meaning beloved of God.
Yedidya (יְדִידְיָה) is a Hebrew name of profound biblical significance, meaning 'beloved of God' or 'friend of God.' It appears in the Hebrew Bible in 2 Samuel 12:25, where the prophet Nathan bestows it upon the infant Solomon — the future king of Israel, builder of the First Temple, and reputed author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs — as a sign of divine favor following the repentance of King David. The name is thus associated from its first appearance with redemption, wisdom, and an intimate relationship with the divine.
In the Anglicized form Jedidiah, the name enjoyed modest usage in Puritan New England, where biblical names were assigned with deliberate theological intention. But Yedidya in its original Hebrew form has always been more common within Jewish communities, particularly among Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews who maintained Hebrew naming conventions. In modern Israel, the name remains in living use, carrying its full scriptural weight while also functioning simply as a given name with a warm, familiar sound — 'Yedid' as a stand-alone nickname means 'friend,' giving the name an everyday accessibility alongside its liturgical grandeur.
Yedidya has experienced quiet but steady appreciation among Jewish families in the diaspora who want Hebrew names that are authentic and deeply rooted rather than anglicized approximations. The name's connection to Solomon makes it a choice laden with aspiration: parents who choose it are invoking a figure synonymous with wisdom and divine closeness, hoping something of that legacy might settle gently on a new life.