Alaiah
Of Arabic origin, meaning "ascending toward the heavens".
Name Census estimates that about 1,027 living Americans carry the first name Alaiah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Alaiah today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alaiah births was 2020 (147 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alaiah. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Alaiah with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Alaiah is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 7 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.0K
~ 1 in 333,743 Americans
Peak year
2020
147 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,050
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Alaiah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alaiah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 576 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alaiah by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Alaiah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Alaiahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Alaiah, while Wisconsin, Tennessee, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 35 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alaiah
The name Alaiah is a relatively modern invention, with its origins shrouded in mystery. It is believed to be a combination of the Hebrew name Alaya, meaning "to ascend or go up," and the Arabic name Aiah, meaning "a sign or miracle." Some scholars suggest that the name may have been inspired by the biblical phrase "El Elyon," which translates to "God Most High."
While there are no definitive historical references or ancient texts mentioning the name Alaiah, it is speculated that the name first emerged in the late 20th century, possibly as a unique twist on more traditional names. The earliest recorded use of the name is difficult to pinpoint, as it gained popularity relatively recently.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Alaiah was Alaiah Mayree, an American singer and songwriter born in 1996. She gained recognition for her soulful vocals and appeared on various music competitions and reality shows in the early 2000s.
Another person of note was Alaiah Caldwell, an American professional basketball player born in 1998. She played for the University of Southern California and later pursued a career in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In the literary world, Alaiah Benson is an American author and poet born in 1987. Her works explore themes of identity, love, and self-discovery, resonating with readers across generations.
Alaiah Ramos, born in 2005, is a talented young dancer from the United States. She has won numerous competitions and has been recognized for her exceptional skills in various dance styles, including contemporary and hip-hop.
Lastly, Alaiah Vega, born in 2002, is a Spanish-American actress and model. She has appeared in several television shows and films, showcasing her versatility and captivating presence on screen.
While the name Alaiah may be relatively new, it has already left its mark across various fields, from entertainment to sports and literature. As its popularity continues to grow, it is likely that more notable individuals bearing this unique name will emerge, adding to its rich tapestry of cultural significance.
People
Alaiah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alaiah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Alaiah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alaiah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,027 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alaiah going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 333,743 US residents.
Is Alaiah a common name?
We classify Alaiah as "Rare". It ranks above 90.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,034 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alaiah most popular?
The single biggest year for Alaiah was 2020, when 147 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alaiah is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Alaiah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Alaiah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alaiah in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Alaiah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Alaiah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Alaiah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Alaiah?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.