Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter and Agency
If you’re in South Africa and your name is Yahya, then you are not alone, as it is one of the most popular boys’ names in the world after Muhammad.
But the name recently stirred quite a controversy when the Leipzig University Hospital in eastern Germany published a list of newborns that included the name Yahya Sinwar, the former leader of the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza. It caused a backlash, forcing the hospital to issue an apology.
The maternity clinic at the hospital explained that the names are published “exclusively at the request or with the consent of the parents.”
In a statement on Instagram on Monday, the clinic said: “Today we published the first names of the newborns on our obstetrics channel – as we do every day,” it said. “One of the names is currently in a political context, which has caused irritation or incomprehension among some users.”
The hospital stated that internal procedures would be reviewed to ensure greater sensitivity in handling similar cases in the future.
Further fuelling the reaction, one staff member had reportedly drawn a heart above the letter “i” in the name.
The hospital had shared a photograph of the board on Instagram, prompting a wave of critical comments and expressions of shock. It later issued a formal apology, stating that staff were unaware of the name’s political significance.
“In this case, the person who posted the image was not aware that the name is currently associated with a well-known political figure involved in a highly sensitive geopolitical context,” said hospital spokesperson Jörn Glassner in a comment to German newspaper Bild.
The hospital acknowledged that the post may have caused “feelings of discomfort or distress” and issued “a sincere apology to anyone who felt hurt or provoked by this post.
“We are taking this incident as an opportunity to review our internal procedures to ensure greater sensitivity when dealing with such matters in the future,” the hospital added.
Sinwar, who served as head of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza, was killed in a confrontation with Israeli forces. The announcement came a day after Israel’s military and Shin Bet said in a joint statement that they had killed three people in a Gaza operation, including Sinwar. He was 61 years old and had been on the battlefield at the time of his death. An autopsy later revealed he had not eaten for at least three days before he was killed.
The controversy at the Leipzig hospital escalated after German Jewish rapper Ben Salomo posted an image of the board on Instagram, condemning the hospital for displaying the name. His post went viral and triggered broader debate across social media.
German outlet Die Welt reported that the reason behind the child’s naming remains unknown, and no details were released about the identity of the baby’s parents. It is also unclear whether the civil registry office will formally accept the name.
The first name “Yahya” is common across the Arab and Muslim world and is growing in popularity in Europe. When translated, it means “to live or be long-lived. In Islam, Yahya refers to John the Baptist, a prophet who is regarded as the forerunner to Jesus.
Back here in Durban, 14-year-old Yahya Khan told Al-Qalam he was proud of his name. “But, the only thing that irks me is that many people, including my classmates, mispronounce my name.”
