Rising since 1994, #1,990 for girls today.
Popularity of Caliyah since 1994
Babies named Caliyah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 59 |
| 2000s | 482 |
| 2010s | 960 |
| 2020s | 536 |
Meaning & origin
Caliyah is a modern American coinage that first appeared on the U.S. baby name charts in 1994, when it was recorded for the first time. It gained popularity over the following decades, peaking in 2017 with its highest rank, though it remained relatively uncommon overall. As of 2025, Caliyah sits at rank 1990, with approximately 1 in every 16,742 baby girls receiving the name, a sign of its steady but niche appeal. The name has seen a rising trajectory since its introduction, with particular favor in states like Tennessee, Indiana, and Michigan. Caliyah belongs to a family of contemporary names that blend familiar sounds with modern styling, reflecting the broader American trend of creative, melodic given names.
Caliyah is a modern invented name, first recorded in the United States in 1994. It appears to blend the popular prefix Cal- (as in Callie, Caleb) with the fashionable suffix -iyah, inspired by names like Aaliyah and Maliyah. The name gained steady usage through the 2000s and 2010s, reflecting a broader trend of melodic, consonant-heavy names ending in 'yah'.
Where Caliyah is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cali, Lee, Lia
Sibling names for Caliyah
Names that share Caliyah's style, for a brother or sister.
