Given name
Elija
“yahweh is God”·“jehovah is my God”
Elija is a variant of Elijah. Interpretations include “yahweh is God” and “jehovah is my God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Elija is a variant of Elijah. Interpretations include “yahweh is God” and “jehovah is my God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Elija is a variant of Elijah. An origin associated with Elijah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1889. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Elija is a variant of Elijah. The history of Elijah gives this family its wider story. Elijah appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Elija through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,169
- 1,169 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2008
- 56 babies
- 2025
- 14
- #6,217 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −26%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 14 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,217 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 25.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 56 in 2008. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,623 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.
Elija’s family of names
Elija has a related form in Elijah. In Yoruba usage, Elija was borrowed from the English form Elijah. In German usage, Elija has a related form in Elias.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Elija has relatives in 5 languages.
4 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Elija
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Elija, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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