Aya
Girl name · #644 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Aya? In official American birth records, Aya has been tracked continuously since 1972, giving it 53 years of documented American history.
Aya is currently the #644 girl name in the United States — 449 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #892, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,009 girls born in 2025 was named Aya.
Babies named Aya per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 53-year story
Aya first appears in the Social Security records in 1972, when 7 girls received the name. The name has never been bigger than it is today — 2024 marked its historical high (469 babies, #630). That makes the next five years the interesting question. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Aya against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Aya in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Aya 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 Aya is most common
Geography matters for names, and Aya is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Aya is most common in MI (1 per 1,000), MA (0.7 per 1,000), IL (0.6 per 1,000), MD (0.6 per 1,000), VA (0.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Aya is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Aya
Statistically, parents drawn to Aya tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Araya, Anaya, Naya, Chaya, and Alaya.
ArayaAnayaNayaChayaAlayaAvayaInayaSoraya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Aya | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 449 | #644 |
| 2024 | 469 | #630 |
| 2023 | 415 | #695 |
| 2022 | 388 | #745 |
| 2021 | 351 | #803 |
| 2020 | 345 | #789 |
| 2019 | 384 | #738 |
| 2018 | 368 | #749 |
| 2017 | 350 | #785 |
| 2016 | 327 | #861 |
| 2015 | 309 | #892 |
| 2014 | 272 | #979 |
| 2013 | 236 | #1046 |
| 2012 | 253 | #999 |
| 2011 | 222 | #1111 |
| 2010 | 235 | #1054 |
| 2009 | 214 | #1174 |
| 2008 | 209 | #1216 |
| 2007 | 206 | #1215 |
| 2006 | 176 | #1327 |
| 2005 | 179 | #1259 |
| 2004 | 176 | #1239 |
| 2003 | 161 | #1291 |
| 2002 | 177 | #1161 |
| 2001 | 171 | #1193 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Aya?
In official American birth records, the name Aya first appeared in 1972 (over 53 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 53 years.
Is Aya a popular girl name?
Aya ranked #644 among girls in 2025 with 449 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #892.
When was the name Aya most popular?
Aya peaked in 2024, when 469 American girls received the name (ranked #630 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Aya?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,009 newborn American girls was named Aya. 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.