Given name
Aliyah
Aliyah is used as a given name. One Arabic interpretation is “an ascender; one having the highest social standing.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “an ascender; one having the highest social standing.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
How it developed
From Hebrew עלייה (aliyá, “ascent”); its root is Hebrew ע־ל־ה.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Aliyah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 49,054
- 43 boys · 49,011 girls
- Most popular year
- 2011
- 2,301 babies
- 2025
- 1,188
- #263 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −26%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,188 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 263 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 25.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,301 in 2011. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (181). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 33,713 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Aliyah’s family of names
In English usage, Aliyah has a related form in Aaliyah. Aliyah has a related form in Aaliyah. In English usage, Aliyah has a related form in Alia.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 21
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Aliyah
- Aliyah BostonAmerican basketball player (born 2001)
- Aliyah Khalaf SalehIraqi humanitarianborn 1956
- Aliyah AbramsGuyanese sprinterborn 1997
- Aliyah Saleemauthor and secular activistborn 1989
- Aliyah O'BrienCanadian actressborn 1981
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Aliyah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Aylin
“having a moonlit halo”
1% boys · 99% girls
Amani
“one who is peaceful” · “one with wishes and dreams”
18% boys · 82% girls
Jayla
“one who is charitable”
>99% girls
Safiya
“one who is pure” · “having the lion's share”
>99% girls
Yousra
Yousra is a feminine given name from Arabic. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Minah
“woman from the South” · “one who is greatly loved”
>99% girls
Lamis
“a soft-skinned woman”
>99% girls
Marwa
Marwa is a feminine given name from Arabic.
>99% girls