Hihya is an old city whose name, in the distant past, was Hehou. It was mentioned in the book of Tohfat Al-Irshad under the name of Hihyah. Some think that Hihya was so named because Amr Ibn Al-Aas had said "That is the green paradise," while he was pointing at Hihya.  The words in Arabic are ha hya, and were modified to the name of Hihya. This city is also mentioned in the Geographical Dictionary of Egyptian Cities, and in the book entitled Al-Tohfah Al-Sonniah by Ibn Al-Je'an in 883 AH of the Islamic Calendar.