Aaliyah

a-lee-uh; uh-lee-uh

Variation of Aliya, Arabic

"heavens, highborn, exalted"

Updated Mon Apr 22 2024

Aaliyah Origin and Meaning

The name Aaliyah is a girl's name of Arabic origin meaning "heavens, highborn, exalted".

Both powerful and pretty, with a melodic sound, Aaliyah joins Layla, Lila, Dana, and Farrah as a name of Arabic origin that is also popular in the English-speaking world.

Back in 1993, the name was virtually unheard of in the US, given to only a tiny handful of girls each year. Then, the singer Aaliyah Haughton rose to fame, under her mononym “Aaliyah”. Known as the “Princess of R&B”, her debut album launched not only her career, but also her name.

By 1994, Aaliyah was in the Top 300, where it stayed until the tragic death of the singer in 2001. Rather than the name becoming associated with tragedy, it jumped into the US Top 100, where it has remained ever since. A feminine form of the Arabic name Aali, Aaliyah means “high, sublime, lofty” or “exalted.” With its distinguished but approachable feel, Aaliyah has seen widespread usage, and as a result, has a number of spelling variants, including Aliyah, Aliyyah, Alia, Aleah, Aliye, and Aleia.

Distinctive but familiar, it is understandable why Aaliyah was able to break into the American charts. Given to over 3000 babies each year in the US, it also ranks highly in the UK and France, while other spelling variations are more popular across the world.

Boosted to fame by the singer and her legacy, and a reflection of today’s multicultural societies, Aaliyah remains an elegant and popular choice. If you are interested in Aaliyah, you could explore other Arabic names, such as Nadira, Amal, Anisa, or Munira. If it’s just the sound you like, then Tallulah, Alara, and Alodia might appeal.

# 69 in the US

Aaliyah Rank in US Top 1000

# 400 on Nameberry

Aaliyah Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Aaliyah Popularity

69US2022
400Nameberry2024
132England2021
163Scotland2023
88Australia2022
64New Zealand2023
76Germany2023
136Canada2022

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Famous People Named Aaliyah

Aaliyah Dana Haughtonlate American singer
Aaliyah Guyton (b. 2006)daughter of Brazilian basketball player Adriana Moisés Pinto and A.J. Guyton
Aaliyah Barrettdaughter of NFL player Shaquil Barrett
Aaliyah Mulgrewdaughter of Scottish footballer Charlie Mulgrew
Aaliyah Snow Adadaughter of Instagram blogger Emilee Hembrow