Holding steady, #2,895 for girls today.
Popularity of Alyah since 1994
Babies named Alyah per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2009, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Alyah's real moment was 2024.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 155 |
| 2000s | 564 |
| 2010s | 450 |
| 2020s | 308 |
Meaning & origin
Alyah is a modern spelling of Aaliyah, first recorded in U.S. birth data in 1994. It reached its peak rank of 2,895 in 2024, with 1 in 27,712 girls given the name in 2025. The name has shown stable popularity in the 2020s, with the highest concentrations in Texas and California. While its exact derivation is debated, most sources trace it to the Arabic root 'aliya,' meaning exalted. The name's rise in the U.S. may also reflect the influence of the late singer Aaliyah, though its use remains relatively uncommon, making it a distinctive choice outside the top 2,000.
Alyah is a modern spelling variant of Aaliyah, which derives from the Arabic root 'aliya' meaning 'to be high, exalted.' The name has been popularized in the United States since the late 20th century, partly influenced by the singer Aaliyah (1979-2001). It remains a relatively rare choice, first recorded in the Social Security data in 1994.
Where Alyah is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Alyah” around the world
Where Alyah lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
170
babies in 2024
Quebec
5
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ali, Lee, Yaya
Sibling names for Alyah
Names that share Alyah's style, for a brother or sister.
