Boy · #6,819 in 2026

Elija

Elijah was a prophet and miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab, according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible.

  • Lithuanian
Current Rank
#6,819
Peak Rank
#974 (2008)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
-42%
1889
First Year
2026
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#974
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
60
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Elija

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

Elijah was a prophet and miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab, according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Lithuanian
Origin & history
Three different theories regarding Elijah's origin are presented in the Aggadah literature: (1) he belonged to the tribe of Gad, (2) he was a Benjamite from Jerusalem, identical with the Elijah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and (3) he was a priest. Many Church Fathers also have stated that Elijah was a priest. Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas . According to later Kabbalistic literature, Elijah was really an angel in human form, so that he had neither parents nor offspring. The Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4:2 states "Elijah should have revived his parents as he

The Story of Elija

The earliest SSA record of Elija as a baby boy name dates back to 1889, when 5 babies received it. 2008 was its biggest year on record, with 56 newborns named Elija — #2,327 in the national rankings. About 35% of every Elija on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Elija ranks #6,819 for baby boys with 11 births, falling sharply (-42%). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to 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
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Elija

Phonetically similar names — useful when Elija 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 Elija

What does the name Elija mean?
Elijah was a prophet and miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab, according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible.
What is the origin of the name Elija?
Elija has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Lithuanian.
How popular is Elija in 2026?
In 2026, Elija ranks #6,819 among boys' names in the U.S., with 11 babies given the name that year.
When was Elija most popular?
Elija reached its peak popularity in 2008, ranking #974 that year with 56 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Elija most popular?
Elija has historically been most popular in Pennsylvania, Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Elija.
Is Elija a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Elija is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Elija?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Elija include Abie, Profit, Remus. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Abie
Peak #974
👦
Profit
Peak #974
👦
Remus
Peak #974
👦
Dejon
Peak #974
👦
Jad
Peak #974
👦
Roswell
Peak #973
👦
Winifred
Peak #975
👦
Garvin
Peak #973

About the name Elija

Elija is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1889 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Elija's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #974. Use the chart and map above to compare Elija'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.