Girl · #109 in 2026

Alaia

An alaia is a thin, round-nosed, square-tailed surfboard ridden in pre-20th century Hawaii. The boards were about 200 to 350 cm long, weighed up to 50 kg (100 lb), and generally made from the wood of the Koa Tree. They are distinct from modern surfboards in that they have no ventral fins, and instead rely on the sharpness of the edges to hold the board in the face of the wave.

  • Basque
  • Spanish
  • English
Current Rank
#109
Peak Rank
#109 (2024)
Total Babies
20K
5-Yr Trend
+63%
1986
First Year
2026
Last Year
2024
Peak Year
#109
Peak Rank
20K
Total Count
34
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Alaia

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

An alaia is a thin, round-nosed, square-tailed surfboard ridden in pre-20th century Hawaii. The boards were about 200 to 350 cm long, weighed up to 50 kg (100 lb), and generally made from the wood of the Koa Tree. They are distinct from modern surfboards in that they have no ventral fins, and instead rely on the sharpness of the edges to hold the board in the face of the wave.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Basque
  • Spanish
  • English
Origin & history
The alaia's roots span back a thousand years. Lala is the Hawaiian word describing the action of riding an alaia surfboard. Lala is a word found in the Hawaiian dictionary meaning ‘the controlled slide in the curl when surfing on a board.' Princess Kaʻiulani 's alaia board, measuring 7ft 4in long, is preserved at the Bishop Museum . Alaia boards began making a comeback around 2006 when surfboard-shaper and experimenter Tom Wegener tested prototypes made of paulownia wood among pro-surfers. The first contemporary professional surfers to master the skill of riding an alaia were documented in the

The Story of Alaia

The earliest SSA record of Alaia as a baby girl name dates back to 1986, when 6 babies received it. 2024 was its biggest year on record, with 2,425 newborns named Alaia — #112 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 80% of all recorded Alaias. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #109 among baby girl names with 2,387 births, rising sharply (+63% over the past five years). In total, more than 20K Alaias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
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Top 10
11-50
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101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Alaia

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Alaia. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Alaia

Phonetically similar names — useful when Alaia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alaia

What does the name Alaia mean?
An alaia is a thin, round-nosed, square-tailed surfboard ridden in pre-20th century Hawaii. The boards were about 200 to 350 cm long, weighed up to 50 kg (100 lb), and generally made from the wood of the Koa Tree. They are distinct from modern surfboards in that they have no ventral fins, and instead rely on the sharpness of the edges to hold the board in the face of the wave.
What is the origin of the name Alaia?
Alaia has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Basque, Spanish, English.
How popular is Alaia in 2026?
In 2026, Alaia ranks #109 among girls' names in the U.S., with 2,387 babies given the name that year.
When was Alaia most popular?
Alaia reached its peak popularity in 2024, ranking #109 that year with 2,425 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Alaia most popular?
Alaia has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, New Jersey. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Alaia.
Is Alaia a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Alaia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Alaia?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Alaia include Joy, Tricia, Augusta. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Alaia?
Common variants and related forms of Alaia include Alahia. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Alaia

Alaia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 20K births in the dataset. Alaia's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #109. Use the chart and map above to compare Alaia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.