Iliya
Iliya is a name of Bulgarian origin. It may refer to:Iliya Bekyarov (1938–2015), Bulgarian footballer Iliya Dimitrov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Dyakov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Dzhamov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Gruev, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Karapetrov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Iliev, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Lazarov, Bulgarian politician Iliya Milanov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya…
- Bulgarian
Meaning & Origin of Iliya
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Iliya is a name of Bulgarian origin. It may refer to:Iliya Bekyarov (1938–2015), Bulgarian footballer Iliya Dimitrov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Dyakov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Dzhamov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Gruev, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Karapetrov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Iliev, Bulgarian footballer Iliya Lazarov, Bulgarian politician Iliya Milanov, Bulgarian footballer Iliya…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Bulgarian
The Story of Iliya
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Iliya as a girl name dates back to 2013, when 5 babies received it. 2023 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Iliya — #9,608 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 61% of all recorded Iliyas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (10 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 46 Iliyas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Iliya as a boy name dates back to 1995, when 6 babies received it. 2011 was its biggest year on record, with 14 newborns named Iliya — #5,945 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 47% of all recorded Iliyas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 184 Iliyas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Iliya
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Iliya. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Iliya
Phonetically similar names — useful when Iliya 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 Iliya
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How popular is Iliya in 2026?
When was Iliya most popular?
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Is Iliya a unisex name?
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About the name Iliya
Iliya is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 184 births in the dataset. Iliya's peak popularity came in 2011 when it ranked #5,945. Use the chart and map above to compare Iliya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2011 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all boy names →
- 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.