Declining since 2005.
Popularity of Alaija since 1997
Babies named Alaija per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 20 |
| 2000s | 136 |
| 2010s | 60 |
| 2020s | 13 |
Meaning & origin
Alaija is a modern American name that first appeared in Social Security records in 1997, likely influenced by the popularity of the name Aaliyah. Its peak year was 2004, after which its usage has steadily declined. The name has not ranked among the top 1,000 names nationally, and it is given too infrequently to estimate a 1-in-N occurrence rate. While top state data is unavailable, the name's trajectory since 2005 shows a clear downward trend, fitting the pattern of many creative respellings of popular 1990s and 2000s names. Alaija remains a distinctive choice, though its origins are purely modern and not tied to any traditional cultural or linguistic source.
Alaija first appeared in U.S. records in 1997, coinciding with the rise in popularity of the name Aaliyah following the singer Aaliyah. It is likely a modern phonetic respelling of Aaliyah, which itself derives from the Arabic name Aaliyah, meaning 'high' or 'exalted.' However, the specific spelling Alaija has no traditional etymology and is considered a modern coinage.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Al, Lala
Sibling names for Alaija
Names that share Alaija's style, for a brother or sister.
