Aliyah
Girl name · #263 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Aliyah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Aliyah in class?
Aliyah scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. 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. In 2025 the states with the most Aliyahs were CA (181), TX (168), FL (99), NY (59), OH (43). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify 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.