Elijah

Boys

Best rank #6 (2020) · ranked in 18 years

Elijah has appeared in the popularity rankings across 18 of the tracked years since 2008.

It climbed from #29 in 2008 to #12 in 2025.

In the most recent data (2025) it ranks #12.

13,269 newborns received the name Elijah in 2020, its peak year.

Elijah was most popular around 2020, making it characteristic of the 2020s generation.

Rank by year

11020200820172025
  1. 20251211,126
  2. 20241411,264
  3. 20231011,543
  4. 20221012,126
  5. 2021912,873
  6. 2020613,269
  7. 2019913,457
  8. 20181313,053
  9. 20171413,477
  10. 20161514,009
  11. 20151813,738
  12. 20141713,920
  13. 20131613,862
  14. 20121813,942
  15. 20111914,034
  16. 20102513,968
  17. 20093012,883
  18. 20082913,285

Similar names

Names similar to Elijah include Emma, Ethan, Emily, which share a starting letter or overlapping popularity. Compare their rank trajectories below.

Origin & meaning

Elijah comes from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, meaning "my God is Yahweh", formed from the elements el (God) and yahu, a shortened form of the divine name YHWH. It is best known as the name of a major prophet in the Hebrew Bible who confronted the prophets of Baal.

Notable people named Elijah

  • Elijah Wood - American actor known for playing Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
  • Elijah Cummings - US Representative from Maryland and civil rights advocate
  • Elijah McCoy - Canadian-American inventor and engineer known for numerous patents on machine lubrication

Elijah has climbed steadily in US baby name rankings since the 2000s, becoming a fixture in the top ten boys' names as biblical and prophetic names have grown in popularity among American parents.

Where Elijah is most popular

In 2025, Elijah was recorded in 51 of the 51 US jurisdictions the SSA reports on, with 11,111 births nationwide.

The largest share came from Texas at 1,455 births, 13.1% of the national total, where it ranked #10 that year.

By census region the name skews South, which accounts for 47.4% of Elijah births, against 11.2% Northeast, 18.6% Midwest, 22.8% West.

State rankings spread more than the national figure suggests: Elijah placed as high as #1 in Hawaii and as low as #76 in New Jersey.

Top states, 2025

  1. 1Texas1,455 · #10 there
  2. 2California1,257 · #20 there
  3. 3Florida868 · #10 there
  4. 4Georgia473 · #4 there
  5. 5North Carolina426 · #10 there

Share by census region

  • Northeast11.2%
  • Midwest18.6%
  • South47.4%
  • West22.8%

Shares are of this name's national total, not of each state's births. SSA withholds any name under 5 occurrences per state and year. Browse all states

Frequently asked questions

Is Elijah a popular name?
Elijah reached a best rank of #6 in 2020 and has charted in 18 years.
Where does Elijah rank now?
In the most recent data (2025), Elijah ranks #12.
Is Elijah a boy or girl name?
It is recorded primarily as a boys' name.
When was Elijah most popular?
Elijah peaked around 2020.

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Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) - Popular Baby Names (national)