Declining since 2009, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Elijiah since 1979
Babies named Elijiah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 146 |
| 2000s | 548 |
| 2010s | 370 |
| 2020s | 82 |
Meaning & origin
Elijiah is a modern respelling of the classic biblical name Elijah. It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1979, a time when creative spellings of traditional names were gaining popularity. The name reached its peak rank of 8,910 in 2010, but has been declining in usage since a trajectory that began around 2009. Today, Elijiah remains a relatively rare choice, given to roughly 1 in 213,510 newborns in 2025. Its spelling distinguishes it from the more common Elijah, while retaining the same strong biblical and prophetic associations.
Elijiah is a modern respelling of the biblical name Elijah, which derives from the Hebrew Eliyahu (אֱלִיָּהוּ), meaning 'my God is Yahweh'. Elijah was a major prophet in the Hebrew Bible, and the name has been used by Christians, Jews, and Muslims for centuries. The variant spelling Elijiah emerged in the late 20th century, likely influenced by other names ending in -jah.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Eli, Lijah, E
Sibling names for Elijiah
Names that share Elijiah's style, for a brother or sister.
