NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Alla

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the most high" or "exalted".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Alla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4764, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 6 births.

This profile covers 32 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 1997 to 2011. 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 32 living people in the UK are called Alla. 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 2012 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Alla ranked #4764 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2006, when 6 girls were registered as Alla.
  • About 32 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4764

2011

Births in 2011

4

Latest year

Peak year

2006

6 births

Estimated living

32

2026

Meaning

What does Alla mean?

The name Alla has its origins in the Arabic language, derived from the word "Allah," which means "God" or "the Supreme Being" in Arabic. This name was commonly used in the Islamic world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, from ancient times.

Alla is also a Scandinavian name, originating from the Old Norse word "ala," which means "to nourish" or "to give birth." This name was popular among the Vikings and Norse people, who lived in Scandinavia during the 8th to 11th centuries.

In the Christian tradition, Alla is considered a variation of the name Alia, which is derived from the Latin word "alius," meaning "other" or "different." This name was used in various regions of Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain, during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alla can be found in the Arabic historical text "Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh" (The Complete History), written by Ibn al-Athir in the 13th century. The text mentions several individuals named Alla, including a prominent Islamic scholar and jurist from the 8th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Alla. One of the most famous was Alla ad-Din Atsiz (1156-1233), a Turkic ruler and military commander who played a significant role in the expansion of the Khwarezmian Empire in Central Asia.

Another historical figure with the name Alla was Alla Pugacheva (born 1949), a renowned Russian singer and actress who has been a cultural icon in Russia since the 1970s. She is often referred to as the "Prima Donna" of Russian pop music.

In the literary world, Alla Nazimova (1879-1945) was a Russian-American actress and screenwriter who made a significant contribution to the early days of Hollywood cinema. She is credited with introducing psychological realism to American film acting.

The name Alla was also popular in ancient Scandinavian folklore and mythology. One example is Alla, the goddess of fertility and growth in Norse mythology, who was often depicted as a beautiful and bountiful figure.

Alla Kudriaitseva-Ralko (1887-1978) was a Russian painter and graphic artist who was known for her avant-garde style and her involvement in the Russian avant-garde movement in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alla over time

The chart below shows babies named Alla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Alla, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2011, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Alla
02356199720042011

Decades

Alla by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alla 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
2010s #4764 4 1
2000s #3460 25 5
1990s #3824 3 1

Related

Names similar to Alla

FAQ

Alla: questions and answers

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

In 2011, Alla was ranked #4764 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Alla most popular?

The peak year on record was 2006, with 6 babies registered as Alla in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alla?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the most high" or "exalted".

How many people are called Alla in the UK?

A total of 32 babies have been registered as Alla across the 7 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.