UK girl's name
Alayia
Feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "lofty" or "supreme".
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.
Alayia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alayia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 5 births.
This profile covers 8 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2020 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 8 living people in the UK are called Alayia. 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
- • Alayia ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 5 girls were registered as Alayia.
- • About 8 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alayia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2020
5 births
Estimated living
8
2026
Meaning
What does Alayia mean?
The name Alayia is of Arabic origin, derived from the Arabic word "ala'a" which means "to rise" or "to ascend." This name has been in use since ancient times in the Middle Eastern region.
In the 7th century, the name Alayia appeared in various Arabic texts and historical records. It was a popular name among Arab scholars and poets during the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Alayia was Alayia bint Ahmad al-Qurashi, a renowned female poet and scholar who lived in the 9th century. She was highly respected for her literary works and her contributions to the field of Arabic literature.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Alayia. In the 11th century, Alayia al-Hadrami was a prominent Sufi mystic and scholar from Yemen. She was known for her spiritual teachings and her influence on the Sufi tradition.
During the 13th century, Alayia al-Baghdadi was a celebrated calligrapher and artist from Baghdad. Her intricate calligraphic works were highly sought after and are still admired today for their beauty and craftsmanship.
In the 16th century, Alayia al-Mutanabbi was a renowned Arab poet from Syria. Her poetry was widely celebrated for its eloquence and depth, and she is considered one of the greatest poets of the Arabic literary tradition.
Another notable figure with the name Alayia was Alayia bint Abi Bakr, who lived in the 17th century. She was a respected Islamic scholar and jurist from Egypt, known for her contributions to the study of Islamic jurisprudence and her teachings on various aspects of Islamic law.
While the name Alayia has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has also been adopted by various other communities around the world, particularly in regions with significant Arab or Islamic influences.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Alayia over time
The chart below shows babies named Alayia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2020 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 Alayia, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alayia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alayia 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 | #4793 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Alayia
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Alayia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Alayia in the UK right now?
In 2023, Alayia was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Alayia most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 5 babies registered as Alayia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Alayia?
Feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "lofty" or "supreme".
How many people are called Alayia in the UK?
A total of 8 babies have been registered as Alayia across the 2 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.