NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Alayha

A feminine Arabic name meaning "elevated" or "superior".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Alayha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alayha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4709, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 6 births.

This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2016 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Alayha. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Alayha ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 6 girls were registered as Alayha.
  • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alayha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4709

2023

Births in 2023

4

Latest year

Peak year

2021

6 births

Estimated living

20

2026

Meaning

What does Alayha mean?

The name Alayha is believed to have originated from the Arabic language. It is derived from the word "alaya," which means "elevated" or "exalted." The name first appeared in the Middle Eastern region during the 7th century CE, around the time of the rise of Islam.

Alayha was a relatively uncommon name in ancient times, but it gained some prominence in the medieval period. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 9th-century Islamic text, where it was mentioned as the name of a young woman who lived in the city of Baghdad.

During the 11th century, an influential Islamic scholar and poet named Alayha ibn Abi al-Fath was born in Persia (present-day Iran). He is known for his contributions to the field of Arabic literature and his renowned works on Islamic theology.

In the 13th century, Alayha al-Samarkandi was a renowned mathematician and astronomer from the city of Samarkand (modern-day Uzbekistan). She made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the development of astronomical instruments.

Moving forward to the 15th century, Alayha al-Baghdadi was a notable calligrapher and artist who lived in Baghdad. Her intricate calligraphic works adorned many mosques and palaces throughout the region.

Another prominent figure with the name Alayha was a 17th-century Ottoman scholar and poet, Alayha Mustafa Efendi. He was highly respected for his literary works and his expertise in various fields, including theology, philosophy, and astronomy.

While the name Alayha has Arabic roots, it has been adopted and used in various cultures and regions throughout history. However, it remains a relatively uncommon name, especially in modern times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alayha over time

The chart below shows babies named Alayha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Alayha, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Alayha
02356201620192023

Decades

Alayha by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alayha was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4114 10 2
2010s #5353 10 3

Related

Names similar to Alayha

FAQ

Alayha: questions and answers

How popular is the name Alayha in the UK right now?

In 2023, Alayha was ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Alayha most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 6 babies registered as Alayha in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alayha?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "elevated" or "superior".

How many people are called Alayha in the UK?

A total of 20 babies have been registered as Alayha across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.