How to say it
a · LI · yah
/ɑːˈliː.ə/
Feminine
Aliyah
Ascending, exalted
What it means
Two roots in one spelling: the Hebrew aliyah, 'ascent,' and the Arabic feminine of Ali, 'exalted, sublime.'
Aliyah carries a double heritage. In Hebrew it is aliyah, 'ascent,' the same word for being called up to read the Torah and for immigrating to Israel. In Arabic it is the feminine of Ali, 'exalted' or 'sublime.' The corpus already holds Aaliyah, the spelling the late R&B singer made famous; Aliyah is the trimmer version that also keeps the distinctly Hebrew meaning in view. Spellings run wide, from Aliya to Aleah.
Popularity over time
peaked at #133 in 2011, currently #263 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Aaliyah, Aliyah, Aliya, and Aleah all circulate; Aaliyah is the most common US spelling thanks to the singer.
- Pronunciation
Usually ah-LEE-ah, with the stress on the middle syllable.
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.
- Aliyah in Judaism, the honor of being called up to the Torah, and the term for immigrating to Israel
Spelling variants
- Aaliyah
- Aliya
- Alia
- Aleah