At a glance
- In short
- Alijah, a modern variant of Elijah meaning my God is Yahweh, is pronounced uh-LYE-juh.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #469 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 651 (0.035% of boys)
- Trend
- Steady #447 in 2020 to #469 in 2025
- Peak
- #408 in 2021
- First recorded
- 1987
Meaning of Alijah
Alijah is usually explained as a modern variant spelling of Elijah, from the Hebrew Eliyahu, meaning "my God is Yahweh." Some see the spelling as also influenced by the Arabic name Ali, meaning "exalted," though this link is less certain.
The name shares its roots with the prophet Elijah of the Hebrew Bible, who is honored in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A well-known bearer is Alijah Vera-Tucker, an American football guard for the New York Jets who was a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In the U.S., Alijah climbed from 1,027th in 2000 to 470th by 2008. It reached its peak of 408th in 2021, when 762 boys received the name, and ranked 469th in 2025 with 651 babies.
How to pronounce Alijah
English
- Pronounced uh-LYE-juh /əˈlaɪdʒə/
Popularity of Alijah in the U.S.
Alijah was the #469 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 651 babies. It peaked at #408 in 2021 and has been in the top 1,000 since 2001. It first appears in the records in 1987.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1987–2025 38 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 651 | 469 | ▼ 40 |
| 2024 | 739 | 429 | ▲ 14 |
| 2023 | 702 | 443 | ▲ 27 |
| 2022 | 653 | 470 | ▼ 62 |
| 2021 | 762 | 408 | ▲ 39 |
| 2020 | 669 | 447 | ▲ 36 |
| 2019 | 606 | 483 | ▲ 6 |
| 2018 | 590 | 489 | ▼ 13 |
| 2017 | 619 | 476 | ▲ 33 |
| 2016 | 588 | 509 | ▼ 27 |
| 2015 | 621 | 482 | ▲ 2 |
| 2014 | 580 | 484 | ▲ 25 |
| 2013 | 526 | 509 | ▼ 56 |
| 2012 | 600 | 453 | ▲ 5 |
| 2011 | 582 | 458 | ▲ 12 |
| 2010 | 553 | 470 | ▲ 1 |
| 2009 | 580 | 471 | ▼ 1 |
| 2008 | 588 | 470 | ▲ 80 |
| 2007 | 468 | 550 | ▲ 36 |
| 2006 | 418 | 586 | ▲ 10 |
| 2005 | 379 | 596 | ▲ 37 |
| 2004 | 333 | 633 | ▲ 25 |
| 2003 | 300 | 658 | ▲ 26 |
| 2002 | 266 | 684 | ▲ 224 |
| 2001 | 172 | 908 | ▲ 119 |
| 2000 | 142 | 1,027 | ▲ 12 |
| 1999 | 133 | 1,039 | ▲ 150 |
| 1998 | 104 | 1,189 | ▲ 74 |
| 1997 | 91 | 1,263 | ▲ 96 |
| 1996 | 79 | 1,359 | ▲ 555 |
| 1995 | 44 | 1,914 | ▲ 433 |
| 1994 | 33 | 2,347 | ▲ 794 |
| 1993 | 21 | 3,141 | ▲ 1,423 |
| 1992 | 12 | 4,564 | ▲ 1,378 |
| 1991 | 8 | 5,942 | ▼ 119 |
| 1990 | 8 | 5,823 | ▲ 1,118 |
| 1989 | 6 | 6,941 | back (not recorded in 1988) |
| 1987 | 5 | 6,951 | new |
Alijah by state
Alijah ranks #193 in New Mexico (2025).
Rank by state 33 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 193 | 10 |
| Mississippi | 215 | 14 |
| Nevada | 299 | 10 |
| Louisiana | 314 | 16 |
| Florida | 331 | 58 |
| Ohio | 340 | 33 |
| North Carolina | 381 | 29 |
| Texas | 393 | 90 |
| Indiana | 395 | 18 |
| Georgia | 407 | 28 |
| California | 411 | 80 |
| Arkansas | 444 | 7 |
| Kentucky | 450 | 10 |
| Missouri | 457 | 13 |
| Arizona | 463 | 15 |
| South Carolina | 470 | 10 |
| Oregon | 474 | 7 |
| Massachusetts | 507 | 9 |
| Maryland | 516 | 9 |
| Tennessee | 520 | 14 |
| Alabama | 525 | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | 526 | 18 |
| New Jersey | 543 | 13 |
| Illinois | 568 | 16 |
| Iowa | 571 | 5 |
| New York | 583 | 26 |
| Oklahoma | 621 | 6 |
| Colorado | 626 | 8 |
| Minnesota | 640 | 7 |
| Michigan | 641 | 12 |
| Virginia | 670 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 785 | 5 |
| Washington | 801 | 7 |
Notable people named Alijah
- Solomon Alijah Lewis Vera-Tucker is an American football guard for the New York Jets who starred at USC, won the 2020 Morris Trophy, earned two All Pac 12 honors, and was a 2021 first round draft pick.