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Elijah Baby boy name meaning, origin, and popularity

Elijah name meaning and origin

Elijah (pronounced "uh-LIE-juh" or "el-i-juh") is a popular boys' name that comes from the Hebrew name Eliyyahu, meaning "Yahweh is my God." Yahweh is an ancient Hebrew name for God, as is El. (That's why "el" appears in so many names inspired by Hebrew, like Michael, Gabriel, Samuel, and Eli.)

Elijah was a prophet who lived in ninth-century Israel and appears in the Talmud, Old Testament, Quran, and other sacred texts. In the Old Testament, God performs miracles through Elijah, including bringing a boy back to life. In the New Testament, Elijah and Moses appear next to Jesus during his transfiguration.

Elijah urged the Israelites to worship only the Hebrew God, rather than other deities, and is said to have ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire. To this day, Elijah 's legacy lives on through religious holidays, performances, plays, and literature.

You'll find the name or one of its derivatives across the globe – from the United States to Israel, Africa, and the Middle East.

Variations of Elijah include:

  • Alijah
  • Eli
  • Elias
  • Élie
  • Elyjah
  • Elliot
  • Ellis
  • Iliya

Elijah is traditionally used for boys, but there are several feminine forms of the name, including Iliana or Eliana (Greek) and Éliane (French). Elliott, a variation of Elijah, is sometimes used for girls, as is the nickname Eli.

Currently, Elijah is very popular for boys in the U.S. Since 2016, Elijah has been in the top 10 on the Social Security Administration 's list of top boy names. Elijah is equally popular among BabyCenter parents. In recent years, it has ranked as number three or four for boys. For girls, Elijah is much less common and ranks around 5,000 on BabyCenter's list. (BabyCenter 's ranking is based on data from hundreds of thousands of parents who share their baby's name with us.)

To explain the rapid ascension of Elijah as a boy 's name in the United States, look to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It can't be a coincidence that the award-winning movie phenomenon starring Elijah Wood hit movie theaters just as the name started its rise up the baby name charts. (The Fellowship of the Ring came out in 2001, followed by The Two Towers in 2002 and Return of the King in 2003.)

Whether you 're more inspired by ancient religions or more recent blockbusters, Elijah is a beautiful and meaningful name that continues to appeal to parents around the world.

Elijah name popularity

Popularity over time

babies per million
Source: Social Security Administration & BabyCenter user data

Elijah in pop culture

Elijah
Character in Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Elijah Mikaelson
Character from The Vampire Diaries
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Famous people named Elijah

Elijah
Prophet who lived in ninth-century Israel and appears in the Talmud, Old Testament, Quran, and other sacred texts
Elijah Blue Altman
American singer, son of Cher and Gregg Allman
Elijah Cummings
American civil rights advocate, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Elijah Holyfield
Football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals; son of boxer Evander Holyfield
Elijah Joy
American vegan celebrity chef
Elijah Kelley
Actor, singer, and dancer who has been in films including Hairspray and Lee Daniels' The Butler
Elijah Lovejoy
American abolitionist, journalist, and minister
Elijah Mitchell
Football running back for the San Francisco 49ers
Elijah Wood
Actor known for his role as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings films

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