Is Aaliyah a boy or a girl name?

Aaliyah is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Aaliyah are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Aaliyah in 2023?

Aaliyah ranks #85 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2012 with 5,530 babies.

How do you pronounce Aaliyah?

Aaliyah is pronounced ah-LEE-yah (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Aaliyah?

Aaliyah is also written as Aliyah, Aliya, Alia.

A name from Arabic · Girl

Aaliyah

عَالِيَة

"Exalted, high, sublime." Feminine of Ali. Carries the same spiritual register as the divine attribute Al-ʿAlī ("the Most High").

Compare

Popularity over time

A 47-year arc in numbers.

104,652 U.S. births recorded from 1976–2023.

Popularity · 1976–2023

2,863 births in 2023

1976 1999 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

A"Exalted, high, sublime." Feminine of Ali. Carries the same spiritual register as the divine attribute Al-ʿAlī ("the Most High").

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: ʿ-l-w — ع-ل-و, elevation, highness

Regional variants

One of the most-loved crossover Arabic names in the US — massively popular in African-American families since singer Aaliyah's rise in the 1990s. Consistently in the SSA top 100.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Aaliyah".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Aliyah Most common Aliya Alia

Related guides

People who carry the name Aaliyah.

A
Aaliyah (singer)

Quick answers

People often ask about Aaliyah.

What does the name Aaliyah mean?: Aaliyah means "Exalted, high, sublime." Feminine of Ali. Carries the same spiritual register as the divine attribute Al-ʿAlī ("the Most High").
Where does the name Aaliyah come from?: Aaliyah is a girl name of Arabic origin. One of the most-loved crossover Arabic names in the US — massively popular in African-American families since singer Aaliyah's rise in the 1990s.
Is Aaliyah a boy or a girl name?: Aaliyah is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Aaliyah are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Aaliyah in 2023?: Aaliyah ranks #85 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2012 with 5,530 babies.
How do you pronounce Aaliyah?: Aaliyah is pronounced ah-LEE-yah (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Aaliyah?: Aaliyah is also written as Aliyah, Aliya, Alia.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.

Aaliyah

A 47-year arc in numbers.

A name that means something.

3 ways to spell "Aaliyah".

Read more in the Almanac.

Arabic Names That Work in English Without Explanation

People who carry the name Aaliyah.

People often ask about Aaliyah.

If you love Aaliyah, also consider…

About this page