Aalap
The Alap is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga. In dhrupad singing the alap is unmetered, improvised and unaccompanied, and started at a slow tempo. For people unfamiliar with the raga form, it introduces the thaat to the listener.
Meaning & Origin of Aalap
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The Alap is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga. In dhrupad singing the alap is unmetered, improvised and unaccompanied, and started at a slow tempo. For people unfamiliar with the raga form, it introduces the thaat to the listener.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Aalap
The earliest SSA record of Aalap as a baby boy name dates back to 1990, when 6 babies received it. 1990 was its biggest year on record, with 6 newborns named Aalap — #7,178 in the national rankings. Aalap last appeared in the published SSA data in 1990, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 6 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Aalap
Phonetically similar names — useful when Aalap is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Alep
- Shallop
- Dallop
- Jalap
- Salop
- Ballup
- Salep
- Gallop
- Dollop
- Julep
- Gallup
- Lollop
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Aalap
What does the name Aalap mean?
How popular is Aalap in 2026?
When was Aalap most popular?
Is Aalap a unisex name?
What names go well with Aalap?
About the name Aalap
Aalap is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 6 births in the dataset. Aalap's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #7,178. Use the chart and map above to compare Aalap's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1990 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.