Boy · #3,313 in 2026

Ilai

Name: Popularity of the name Ilai in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Ilai, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Ilai is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language drama film written and directed by Bineesh Raj. Swathy Narayanan features in the lead role, while Sujith Stephanos, King Mohan, and Noorin Shereef among others play supporting roles. The film began production during early 2016 and was released on 21 April 2017.

Current Rank

#3,313

Peak Rank

#3,052 (2023)

Total Babies

299

5-Yr Trend

+290%

2005

First Year

2026

Last Year

2023

Peak Year

#3052

Peak Rank

299

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ilai

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

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

The Story of Ilai

Ilai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2005, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 40 Ilais were born — ranking #3,052 that year. As of 2026, Ilai ranks #3,313 for baby boys with 36 births, rising sharply (+290% over the past five years). In total, more than 299 Ilais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Ilai

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

Ily
Illy
Ilia
Illi
Ili
Eloi
Ilie
Ilea
Ilog
Ilmi
Alii
Slai

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ilai

What does the name Ilai mean?

How popular is Ilai in 2026?

In 2026, Ilai ranks #3,313 among boys' names in the U.S., with 36 babies given the name that year.

When was Ilai most popular?

Ilai reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #3,052 that year with 40 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Ilai most popular?

Ilai has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, New York, Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ilai.

Is Ilai a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Ilai is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Ilai?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ilai include Zubair, Caio, Owais. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ilai

Ilai is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2005 and has accumulated 299 births in the dataset. Ilai's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #3,052. Use the chart and map above to compare Ilai'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.