Ilham
Ilham (إلهام) is a unisex name that derives from the Arabic word for inspiration. It is usually a given name, rarely used as a surname. Pronounced Arabic: [ʔɪlˈhæːm, ʔelˈhæːm, ʔɪlˈhɑːm], Persian: [elˈhɒːm]. Notable people with the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Ilham
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ilham (إلهام) is a unisex name that derives from the Arabic word for inspiration. It is usually a given name, rarely used as a surname. Pronounced Arabic: [ʔɪlˈhæːm, ʔelˈhæːm, ʔɪlˈhɑːm], Persian: [elˈhɒːm]. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ilham
As a girl name
Ilham first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1995, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 15 Ilhams were born — ranking #7,245 that year. As of 2026, Ilham ranks #7,441 for girls with 14 births, rising sharply (+28% over the past five years). In total, more than 283 Ilhams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ilham first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2002, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 9 Ilhams were born — ranking #8,294 that year. As of 2026, Ilham ranks #8,914 for boys with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 22 Ilhams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ilham
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ilham 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 Ilham
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About the name Ilham
Ilham is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 283 births in the dataset. Ilham's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #7,245. Use the chart and map above to compare Ilham'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 "I" →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.