Boys' name · since 1889
Elija
Elija has 1,169 recorded births since 1889 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4,658 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #6,155 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,169
- born since 1889
- 2000s
- peak decade
Elija currently ranks #6155 among boys' names in America, with 1,169 babies recorded since 1889.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elija has been recorded 1,169 times among boys since 1889, currently ranked #6155 nationally and more common than 56% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1889 to 2025.
- #4,658 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #6,155 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,169 born since 1889
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elija ranks #4,658 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #6,155 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,169 born since 1889, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4,658 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #6,155 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,169
- born since 1889
- 2000s
- peak decade
Elija's 1,169 recorded births place it above 89.75% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Elija compares
1,169 Top 29% higher than 71% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Elija's all-time total is 3x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elija | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,169 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 56 | 34 | 22,252 |
Elija's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Elija's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 80% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 20%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1889, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 56, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Elija popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1889–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 56
- Annual births at peak, across 137 years of records
Elija by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (414 births, 35% of the file).
2000s was Elija's strongest decade.
414 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Elija births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1910s 42
1910s
42 births
- 1920s 34
1920s
34 births
- 1930s 10
1930s
10 births
- 1970s 7
1970s
7 births
- 1980s 68
1980s
68 births
- 1990s 142
1990s
142 births
- 2000s
2000s
414 births
- 2010s
2010s
328 births
- 2020s 119
2020s
119 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 414 births (35% of all-time use).
How Elija compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Elija's total volume
Elija by state
Where Elija concentrates geographically, total births since 1889
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 72 | 6.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 36 | 3.1% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 5 | 0.4% |
72 of 1,169 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elija? ▼
Where does Elija sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Elija most popular? ▼
Where is Elija most popular? ▼
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What to do with Elija's data
- Elija's decade-level peak was the 2000s (414 total births); usage has since declined to 119 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Elijas (72 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Elija
Nearby Names Like Elija
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elija
Compare Elija side by side: Elija vs Elijah Elija vs Eli Elija vs Elias
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elija
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Elija: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2008)
Similar record span (~136 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1889–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Elija draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.