Aliyah
Girl name · #263 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Aliyah? In official American birth records, Aliyah has been tracked continuously since 1971, giving it 54 years of documented American history.
Aliyah is currently the #263 girl name in the United States — 1,188 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #164, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,515 girls born in 2025 was named Aliyah.
The 54-year story
Aliyah first appears in the Social Security records in 1971, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 2,301 girls were named Aliyah — good for #133 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 Aliyah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Aliyah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Aliyah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Aliyah 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 Aliyah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Aliyah is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Aliyah is most common in NV (2 per 1,000), AZ (1.3 per 1,000), MD (1.3 per 1,000), WA (1.2 per 1,000), FL (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Aliyah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Aliyah
Statistically, parents drawn to Aliyah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aniyah, Aaliyah, Amiyah, Maliyah, and Alayah.
AniyahAaliyahAmiyahMaliyahAlayahJaliyahKaliyahJaniyah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Aliyah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,188 | #263 |
| 2024 | 1,314 | #237 |
| 2023 | 1,352 | #220 |
| 2022 | 1,308 | #233 |
| 2021 | 1,441 | #208 |
| 2020 | 1,532 | #188 |
| 2019 | 1,678 | #173 |
| 2018 | 1,777 | #161 |
| 2017 | 1,915 | #154 |
| 2016 | 2,008 | #155 |
| 2015 | 1,974 | #164 |
| 2014 | 1,971 | #167 |
| 2013 | 2,115 | #148 |
| 2012 | 2,265 | #140 |
| 2011 | 2,301 | #133 |
| 2010 | 2,163 | #143 |
| 2009 | 1,991 | #158 |
| 2008 | 1,754 | #191 |
| 2007 | 1,611 | #213 |
| 2006 | 1,452 | #235 |
| 2005 | 1,462 | #233 |
| 2004 | 1,529 | #221 |
| 2003 | 1,392 | #236 |
| 2002 | 1,607 | #203 |
| 2001 | 1,411 | #226 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Aliyah?
In official American birth records, the name Aliyah first appeared in 1971 (over 54 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 54 years.
Is Aliyah a popular girl name?
Aliyah ranked #263 among girls in 2025 with 1,188 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #164.
When was the name Aliyah most popular?
Aliyah peaked in 2011, when 2,301 American girls received the name (ranked #133 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Aliyah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,515 newborn American girls was named Aliyah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.