UK girl's name
Alishah
An Arabic name meaning "elevated" or "most high".
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.
Alishah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alishah 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 2004, with 12 births.
This profile covers 165 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1996 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 164 living people in the UK are called Alishah. 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
- • Alishah ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 12 girls were registered as Alishah.
- • About 164 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alishah 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
2004
12 births
Estimated living
164
2026
Meaning
What does Alishah mean?
The name Alishah is of Persian origin, derived from the combination of the Arabic name Ali and the Persian word "shah," meaning king or ruler. It has its roots in the ancient Persian culture and Islamic tradition.
The name Ali has a rich history in Islamic culture, as it was the name of the fourth caliph and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. Ali was also revered as the first Imam by Shia Muslims. The addition of "shah" to the name Ali suggests a regal or noble status.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alishah can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi, who lived in the 10th and 11th centuries. His epic masterpiece, the "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), includes references to historical figures with the name Alishah.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Alishah. One such figure was Alishah Qutb al-Din, a 13th-century Persian mystic and Sufi poet who authored several works on spiritual enlightenment and the path to God.
Another prominent Alishah was Alishah Awasi, a 16th-century Persian calligrapher and artist renowned for his intricate and beautiful calligraphic works, which adorned many mosques and palaces of the Safavid Empire.
In the realm of literature, Alishah Esfahani was a 17th-century Persian poet and scholar who contributed to the rich literary tradition of his time, writing extensively on topics ranging from love and spirituality to philosophy and mysticism.
Moving forward in time, Alishah Khan was a prominent 18th-century military leader and statesman in the Mughal Empire, serving as the governor of several provinces and playing a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of Mughal power.
Additionally, Alishah Shirazi was a 19th-century Persian philosopher and theologian known for his works on Islamic jurisprudence and his contributions to the intellectual discourse of his era.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Alishah over time
The chart below shows babies named Alishah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Alishah, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alishah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alishah 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 | #5687 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4256 | 40 | 8 |
| 2000s | #2087 | 97 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2588 | 25 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Alishah
- 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
Alishah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Alishah in the UK right now?
In 2023, Alishah was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Alishah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 12 babies registered as Alishah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Alishah?
An Arabic name meaning "elevated" or "most high".
How many people are called Alishah in the UK?
A total of 165 babies have been registered as Alishah 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.