Alijah
Boy name · #470 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 651 baby boys were named Alijah, placing it at #470 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #482, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,765 boys born in 2025 was named Alijah.
The 38-year story
Alijah first appears in the Social Security records in 1987, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 762 boys were named Alijah — good for #408 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Alijah per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alijah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alijah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alijah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Alijah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alijah is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Alijah is most common in NM (1.5 per 1,000), MS (1.3 per 1,000), NV (0.9 per 1,000), LA (0.8 per 1,000), OH (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Alijah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Alijah
Statistically, parents drawn to Alijah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jasiah, Azariah, Armani, Hezekiah, and Jesiah.
JasiahAzariahArmaniHezekiahJesiahAbdullahIzaiahJoziah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alijah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 651 | #469 |
| 2024 | 739 | #429 |
| 2023 | 702 | #443 |
| 2022 | 653 | #470 |
| 2021 | 762 | #408 |
| 2020 | 669 | #447 |
| 2019 | 606 | #483 |
| 2018 | 590 | #489 |
| 2017 | 619 | #476 |
| 2016 | 588 | #509 |
| 2015 | 621 | #482 |
| 2014 | 580 | #484 |
| 2013 | 526 | #509 |
| 2012 | 600 | #453 |
| 2011 | 582 | #458 |
| 2010 | 553 | #470 |
| 2009 | 580 | #471 |
| 2008 | 588 | #470 |
| 2007 | 468 | #550 |
| 2006 | 418 | #586 |
| 2005 | 379 | #596 |
| 2004 | 333 | #633 |
| 2003 | 300 | #658 |
| 2002 | 266 | #684 |
| 2001 | 172 | #908 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alijah a popular boy name?
Alijah ranked #470 among boys in 2025 with 651 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #482.
When was the name Alijah most popular?
Alijah peaked in 2021, when 762 American boys received the name (ranked #408 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alijah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,765 newborn American boys was named Alijah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.