The first name Elijah
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “yahweh is my god”.
Pronounced /ɪˈlaɪd͡ʒə/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Elijah means “yahweh is my god” in Hebrew.
From Hebrew אליהו (Eliyahu, literally “Yahweh is my god”). Doublet of Ilya and Iliya. Compare Joel. See also Arabic إلياس.
More names that mean god.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 1,659 boys were named Elijah, making it the 23rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2020, with 1,668 births (#30).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Elijah with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Elijah at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 11,111 boys born in the United States were named Elijah, the 7th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2011, when 14,001 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Elijah in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Elijah
- Lije
Famous people named Elijah
32 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Elijah WoodAmerican actor (born 1981)
- Elijah MuhammadAmerican religious leader (1897-1975)
- Elijah WinningtonAustralian swimmer, born 2000
- Elijah CummingsAmerican politician (1951-2019)
- Elijah KelleyAmerican actor and singer, born 1986
- Elijah BurkeAmerican professional wrestler, born 1978
- Elijah AdebayoEnglish footballer (born 1933)
- Elijah Parish LovejoyAmerican minister, journalist, and abolitionist (1802–1837)
- Elijah MillsapAmerican basketball player (born 1987)
- Elijah BryantAmerican basketball player (born 1995)
- Elijah Coleman BridgmanFirst American missionary to China (1801-1861)
- Elijah McCoyAmerican engineer (1844–1929)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Elijah mean?
- Elijah means “yahweh is my god” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Elijah?
- From Hebrew אליהו (Eliyahu, literally “Yahweh is my god”). Doublet of Ilya and Iliya. Compare Joel. See also Arabic إلياس.
- How popular is the name Elijah?
- In 2025, 1,659 boys born in England and Wales were named Elijah, ranking 23rd. Its peak was 2020, with 1,668 births.
- What are nicknames for Elijah?
- Common nicknames for Elijah include Lije.
- Is Elijah a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 381,915 US babies named Elijah since 1880 were boys.
- When was Elijah most popular?
- 2011 in the United States, when 14,001 babies were named Elijah, its highest rank at 13th.
- How do you pronounce Elijah?
- Elijah is /ɪˈlaɪd͡ʒə/, 3 syllables.
- Is Elijah also a surname?
- Yes. Elijah is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.