Atalia

Atalia, also appearing as Athaliah and Atalya, is a biblical name with a gory history but a bright and appealing sound. In step with the current fashion for A-starting and -a-ending names that are both distinctive and deeply rooted, Atalia may make an intriguing alternative to Natalia or Aleah.

In a biblical context, it is borne by the daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who went on to become the queen consort of Jehoram of Judah. After Jehoram's death (and the murders of her family and son), Athaliah took the throne by killing every other possible claimant. Known as the usruper queen, she set up a Baalist cult, but was later killed herself.

Meaning "the Lord is exalted", Atalia was also the name of an ancient Assyrian queen and was chosen for 62 girls in the US in a recent year, making it a familiar but underused option. Athaliah was chosen for 65 girls in the same year, and Athalia for 86, while Ataliah and Atalya were chosen for around 10.

Pronounced uh-TAH-lee-uh.

As of October 2026, Atalia ranked #2613 in US births in 2025 SSA.