How to say it
a · LAI · a
əˈlaɪ.ə
Feminine
Alaia
Joyful, or 'noble'
What it means
Two roots converged: Basque alai ('joyful, happy') and Arabic Aaliyah ('noble, exalted'). Azzedine Alaïa the Tunisian-French fashion designer is the dominant 20th-century cultural anchor through the surname.
Alaia has two roots that converged in modern US use. The Basque alai means 'joyful' or 'happy.' The Arabic Aaliyah means 'noble' or 'exalted' (the feminine of Ali). Azzedine Alaïa (1935-2017), the Tunisian-French fashion designer known as the King of Cling, gave the name its dominant 20th-century cultural presence through the surname. Beyoncé and Jay-Z named their twin daughter Rumi but the Carter family's earlier nod to designer Alaïa kept the name in celebrity-baby orbit. Sarah Michelle Gellar named her daughter Charlotte Grace, and Ricky Martin's daughter is Lucia, but Alaia surged with the broader vintage-modern wave. It entered the US top 500 in 2017. Common short: Lai or Ala.
How to spell Alaia
The standard spelling is Alaia. Common variants include Alaiya, Alaya, Alayah, but Alaia is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #112 in 2024, currently #117 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
ah-LIE-ah, three syllables, stress on the second. The 'ai' is one dipthong (rhymes with 'eye'), not two separate vowels.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Azzedine Alaïa Tunisian-French fashion designer, 1935-2017 (surname)
Spelling variants
- Alaiya
- Alaya
- Alayah
Names with the same feeling
See Alaia from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Alaia mean?
- Two roots converged: Basque alai ('joyful, happy') and Arabic Aaliyah ('noble, exalted'). Azzedine Alaïa the Tunisian-French fashion designer is the dominant 20th-century cultural anchor through the surname.
- What does Alaia mean in Basque?
- In Basque, Alaia means "Joyful, or 'noble'." Alaia has two roots that converged in modern US use. The Basque alai means 'joyful' or 'happy.' The Arabic Aaliyah means 'noble' or 'exalted' (the feminine of Ali). Azzedine Alaïa (1935-2017), the Tunisian-French fashion designer known as the King of Cling, gave the name its dominant 20th-century cultural presence through the surname. Beyoncé and Jay-Z named their twin daughter Rumi but the Carter family's earlier nod to designer Alaïa kept the name in celebrity-baby orbit. Sarah Michelle Gellar named her daughter Charlotte Grace, and Ricky Martin's daughter is Lucia, but Alaia surged with the broader vintage-modern wave. It entered the US top 500 in 2017. Common short: Lai or Ala.
- How do you pronounce Alaia?
- Alaia is pronounced əˈlaɪ.ə. Say it as a-LAI-a, with the stress on the "lai" syllable.
- How do you spell Alaia?
- The standard spelling is Alaia. Common spelling variants include Alaiya, Alaya, Alayah.
- Is Alaia a boy or girl name?
- Alaia is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Alaia?
- Alaia ranked #117 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.