Elijah
Say it: ih-LY-ja/ɪˈlaɪd͡ʒə/
BoyMeans yahweh is my God6 letters3 syllables
#97
in Ireland (2025)
#99 with spellings combined
59
babies in 2025
#99
best rank (2025)
741
babies since 2000
Up 129
10-year rank change
Elijah through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #99 |
| 2024 | 42 | #127 |
| 2023 | 56 | #105 |
| 2022 | 61 | #104 |
| 2021 | 48 | #135 |
| 2020 | 55 | #113 |
| 2019 | 37 | #158 |
| 2018 | 46 | #134 |
| 2017 | 37 | #162 |
| 2016 | 33 | #177 |
| 2015 | 24 | #228 |
| 2014 | 30 | #193 |
| 2013 | 28 | #209 |
| 2012 | 26 | #221 |
| 2011 | 25 | #221 |
| 2010 | 23 | #234 |
| 2009 | 18 | #261 |
| 2008 | 21 | #237 |
| 2007 | 13 | #282 |
| 2006 | 11 | #282 |
| 2005 | 6 | #370 |
| 2004 | 11 | #244 |
| 2003 | 10 | #266 |
| 2002 | 11 | #226 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
| 2000 | 6 | #274 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Elijah mean?
Yahweh is my God
Hebrew Eliyahu, the name of a prophet in the Hebrew Bible.
Say it right
ihLYja
The story of Elijah
Elijah is the English form of the Hebrew Eliyahu, which means “Yahweh is my God”. The same name gives Elias in Greek and Latin, and Ilya in Russian.
In the Hebrew Bible Elijah is a prophet in the kingdom of Israel who challenges the worship of Baal. The best-known story says he did not die but was carried up to heaven in a whirlwind, with a chariot and horses of fire. He is honoured in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and at the Jewish Passover meal a cup of wine is set out for him.
Elijah is a recent arrival in Ireland. It first reached three or more boys in a year in 2000 and grew slowly for a decade before picking up speed. The most boys named Elijah in one year was 61, in 2022. In 2025 it entered the top 100 for the first time, at number 99 combined, or 97th on the CSO list. It is more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 52 in 2023.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Elijah (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Elijah (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Eli
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Elijah | 59 | 741 |
In Northern Ireland
#59 in 2025 with 38 babies. Best rank #52 (2023); 635 babies since 1999.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.