Elya
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.
Meaning & Origin of Elya
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 →
Origin & history
The Story of Elya
As a girl name
Elya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1983, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 16 Elyas were born — ranking #6,812 that year. As of 2026, Elya ranks #6,812 for girls with 16 births, rising sharply (+73% over the past five years). In total, more than 275 Elyas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Elya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1991, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 28 Elyas were born — ranking #3,793 that year. As of 2026, Elya ranks #6,578 for boys with 12 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 404 Elyas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Elya
Phonetically similar names — useful when Elya 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 Elya
What does the name Elya mean?
How popular is Elya in 2026?
When was Elya most popular?
In which U.S. states is Elya most popular?
Is Elya a unisex name?
What names go well with Elya?
About the name Elya
Elya is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1991 and has accumulated 404 births in the dataset. Elya's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #3,793. Use the chart and map above to compare Elya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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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.