Alaiah
Alaiah was the 1692nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 121 babies. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked 1455th with 148 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 2,224 places. More babies were named Alaiah in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Alaia) joyful (Basque) · Basque
- Rank in 2025
- #1,692 girls, down 237 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 121girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2020148 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,156babies recorded
What does the name Alaiah mean?
Alaiah is a spelling of Alaia, pronounced the same way, so it shares Alaia's meaning and origin.
Alaia is a Basque girl's name from alai, 'joyful, cheerful', and Wiktionary says it was borrowed into English use in the 21st century. Wiktionary also notes that earlier English uses may instead echo Hebrew aliyah, 'ascent', or Arabic aaliya, 'high, exalted'. Separately, alaia is the Hawaiian name of a traditional wooden surfboard, as Wikipedia notes, but that is not the source of the name.
alai (Basque, “joyful, cheerful”)
How sure is this? Probable. The modern name is mainly the Basque one; similar-sounding Hebrew and Arabic words may lie behind some uses.
Related names: Alaya, Alaiya, Aaliyah.
See also: names that mean joy.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Alaia', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Alaia', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Alaiah popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,692 | 121 |
| 2020 | #1,455 | 148 |
| 2010 | #7,533 | 16 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Alaiah, counting every spelling?
Alaiah is a spelling of Alaia, a name family that ranked #57 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,692 for Alaiah on its own. Together these spellings went to 4,490 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaia | 2,318 | #117 | 11,352 |
| Alayah | 756 | #412 | 4,171 |
| Alaya | 834 | #368 | 4,129 |
| Aleia | 279 | #933 | 1,225 |
| Alaiah | 121 | #1,692 | 550 |
| Aalayah | 54 | #3,028 | 296 |
| Aleiah | 44 | #3,462 | 211 |
| Alaiia | 41 | #3,646 | 166 |
| Aalaya | 15 | #7,133 | 64 |
| Allayah | 11 | #8,893 | 57 |
| Alleia | 17 | #6,558 | 32 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Alaiah?
121 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Alaiah (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Alaiah born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 69 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Alaiah.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Alaiah?
About 1,100 people born in the US named Alaiah are alive today, with a median age of 6; half are between 3 and 9. That makes Alaiah a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Alaiah by state
How common Alaiah was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (2.4×), Texas (1.5×). In 40 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Alaiah: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Alaiah, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Alaiah
What does Alaiah mean?
Alaiah is a spelling of Alaia, which means “joyful (Basque)” (Basque origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Alaiah?
Alaiah was the 1692nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 121 babies. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked 1455th with 148 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 2,224 places. More babies were named Alaiah in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Alaiah a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Alaiah in the US.
Where is Alaiah most popular?
In 2021–2025, Alaiah was most common in Florida (0.16 per 1,000 girls), followed by Texas and Arizona.