UK name, mostly girls
Elya
A Hebrew name meaning "the highest" or "exalted".
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.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 17 boys.
Elya is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Elya 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 2017, with 8 births.
This profile covers 65 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 2007 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 65 living people in the UK are called Elya. 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
- • Elya ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 8 girls were registered as Elya.
- • Elya is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 65 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 79.3% of Elya registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4709
2023
Births in 2023
4
Latest year
Peak year
2017
8 births
Estimated living
65
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Elya
In England and Wales birth records, Elya has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 20.7% of registrations are for boys and 79.3% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Elya registered for boys
- Ranked #4,789 in 2022
- 3 boys registered in 2022
- Peak: 2013 (4 births)
Elya registered for girls
- Ranked #4,709 in 2023
- 4 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2017 (8 births)
Meaning
What does Elya mean?
Elya is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the Biblical name Elijah, which means "My God is Yahweh." The name can be traced back to ancient Jewish traditions and is mentioned in various religious texts, including the Hebrew Bible.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Elijah can be found in the Books of Kings in the Old Testament. The prophet Elijah is depicted as a significant figure who performed miracles and played a crucial role in the religious and spiritual life of ancient Israel. His name has been revered and passed down through generations, leading to the use of variations like Elya.
In the Middle Ages, the name Elya gained popularity among Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. It was particularly common in areas with significant Jewish populations, such as Spain, France, and Germany. During this period, several historical figures bore the name Elya, including Elya ben Shmuel ha-Levi (c. 1140-1220), a prominent French Talmudic scholar and author.
Another notable figure with the name Elya was Elya Mizrahi (1455-1526), a renowned Kabbalist and Rabbi from the Ottoman Empire. He was highly regarded for his contributions to Jewish mysticism and his influential works, such as "Reshit Chochmah" (The Beginning of Wisdom).
In the 16th century, Elya Levita (c. 1469-1549), a Jewish grammarian and philosopher, made significant contributions to the study of Hebrew linguistics and the preservation of Jewish texts. His works, including the "Sefer Bahur" (Book of Choice), had a lasting impact on the understanding of the Hebrew language.
Moving forward in time, Elya Ber Viterbo (1809-1883) was a Lithuanian-born Hebrew writer and educator who lived in the Russian Empire. He authored several books on Jewish history and culture, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of Jewish literary heritage.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Elya, reflecting its enduring presence and significance within Jewish culture and tradition.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Elya over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Elya in England and Wales, from 2007 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 Elya, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elya 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 | #4221 | 20 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4223 | 41 | 8 |
| 2000s | #4294 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Elya
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Elya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Elya in the UK right now?
In 2023, Elya was ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Elya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 8 babies registered as Elya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Elya?
A Hebrew name meaning "the highest" or "exalted".
How many people are called Elya in the UK?
A total of 65 babies have been registered as Elya across the 13 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.