Elijay
Ellijay, occasionally spelled Elijay, is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 1,862 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County.
Meaning & Origin of Elijay
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ellijay, occasionally spelled Elijay, is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 1,862 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Elijay
Elijay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2008, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 9 Elijays were born — ranking #8,161 that year. As of 2026, Elijay ranks #10,889 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 26 Elijays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Elijay
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Jerry Bird (1943-present), a pioneer in formation skydiving , was born in Ellijay.
- John Davis (1965–present) was a starting offensive lineman with the Buffalo Bills and an All-American guard for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets .
- Col. Oscar Poole (1930–2020) was a longtime Methodist minister and radio personality whose Uncle Sam suit became a fixture at Republican events, where he promoted his Ellijay BBQ restaurant.
- Johnny Quarles (1946–2008), a Western author, wrote over a dozen novels and television screenplays, including the iconic titles Brack and Fool's Gold, many of them featuring Ellijay settings.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Elijay
Phonetically similar names — useful when Elijay 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 Elijay
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About the name Elijay
Elijay is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2008 and has accumulated 26 births in the dataset. Elijay's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #8,161. Use the chart and map above to compare Elijay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- 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.