girl's name
Aaliyah
ah-LEE-uh
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 131,291
the United States
#101
2025 births
Aaliyah is a girl's name of Arabic origin meaning "exalted" or "sublime," the feminine of Ali. It comes from the verb ala, to ascend, and shares its root with the Hebrew aliyah, the term for immigration to Israel.
- Aaliyah is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in 2012, when 5,530 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,272 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1976.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Aaliyah over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 142 |
| 1980s | 209 |
| 1990s | 7,850 |
| 2000s | 36,424 |
| 2010s | 46,781 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 18,671 |
What Aaliyah means
Aaliyah means high, exalted or ascending, from the Arabic root meaning to rise. It is the feminine of Ali, one of the most significant names in Islam, and carries a sense of elevation rather than of any physical quality.
Where Aaliyah comes from
Aaliyah comes from the Arabic Aliyah, feminine of Ali, from the root ala, meaning to ascend or be high. Ali is among the most important names in Islam, borne by the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law, the fourth caliph and the central figure of Shia tradition. The same Semitic root appears in Hebrew as aliyah, used both for being called up to read the Torah and for immigration to Israel — literally a going up. In American use the name rose sharply through the 1990s, and the singer Aaliyah, whose career ended with her death in 2001, made the spelling with a double a the standard English form.
Aaliyah in use
The Arabic and Hebrew words share a Semitic root meaning to ascend — the same root behind aliyah, immigration to Israel.
How popular is Aaliyah?
In 2025, Aaliyah was given to 2,607 babies in the United States, ranking #101 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Aaliyah is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Aaliyah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Aaliyah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Aaliyah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Aaliyah
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Aaliyah in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Kazakh
- Aliya
Sibling names for Aaliyah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Aaliyah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Aaliyah
What does the name Aaliyah mean?
Aaliyah means "exalted" or "sublime," from the Arabic root meaning to ascend.
Is Aaliyah the feminine of Ali?
Yes. Both come from the Arabic root ala, to rise.
Is Aaliyah related to the Hebrew aliyah?
They share a Semitic root meaning to go up, though the names developed separately.
How popular is the name Aaliyah?
In 2025, Aaliyah was given to 2,607 babies in the United States, ranking #101 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Aaliyah a girl's or a boy's name?
Aaliyah is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Aaliyah?
Aaliyah has 3 syllables.
When was Aaliyah most popular?
Aaliyah peaked in 2012, when 5,530 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Aaliyah?
Aaliyah is usually shortened to Lia, Ali and Liya.
Is Aaliyah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Aaliyah currently ranks #101 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.