NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Aleyah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "to ascend" or "to rise".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Aleyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Aleyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2253, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 18 births.

This profile covers 192 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. 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 191 living people in the UK are called Aleyah. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Aleyah ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 18 girls were registered as Aleyah.
  • About 191 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aleyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2253

2024

Births in 2024

12

Latest year

Peak year

2020

18 births

Estimated living

191

2026

Meaning

What does Aleyah mean?

The name Aleyah has its origins in the Arabic language. It is a feminine name that is believed to have derived from the Arabic word 'aliya', which means 'sublime' or 'exalted'. The earliest known use of this name can be traced back to the Middle Ages in the Arabic-speaking regions of the Middle East and North Africa.

While the name itself does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its root word 'aliya' is found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In the Quran, the term 'aliya' is used to describe the exalted and sublime qualities of God.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Aleyah can be found in the historical records of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a vast empire stretching from North Africa to Central Asia between the 8th and 13th centuries. During this time, the name was occasionally given to girls born into noble or prominent families.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Aleyah. One such person was Aleyah bint Al-Muqtadir, who lived in the 10th century and was the daughter of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadir. She was known for her intelligence and literary talents, and was a patron of the arts and learning.

Another historical figure with the name Aleyah was Aleyah Al-Baghdadiyah, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in Baghdad during the 12th century. She was highly respected for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her skill in Arabic poetry.

In the 14th century, there was Aleyah Al-Andalusiyah, a Sufi mystic and poet from Andalusia, modern-day Spain. Her writings and teachings on spirituality and the divine love of God had a significant influence on the mystical traditions of Islam in the region.

Moving to the 16th century, Aleyah Al-Mughrabiyah was a skilled calligrapher and artist from Morocco. Her intricate and beautifully designed calligraphic works adorned many mosques and palaces throughout the region.

Finally, in the 19th century, Aleyah Al-Tawhidi was a prominent educator and women's rights advocate from Egypt. She was instrumental in establishing one of the first schools for girls in the country and worked tirelessly to promote women's education and empowerment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Aleyah over time

The chart below shows babies named Aleyah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Aleyah, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 18 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Aleyah
0591418199820112024

Decades

Aleyah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aleyah 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 #2224 62 5
2010s #2841 94 10
2000s #3719 32 7
1990s #3142 4 1

Related

Names similar to Aleyah

FAQ

Aleyah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Aleyah was ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.

When was Aleyah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 18 babies registered as Aleyah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Aleyah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "to ascend" or "to rise".

How many people are called Aleyah in the UK?

A total of 192 babies have been registered as Aleyah across the 23 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.