Alekay
A unique name with unknown origin or meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Alekay. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alekay today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alekay births was 2009 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alekay. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Alekay. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2009
5 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2009 SSA rank
#12,558
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Alekay: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Alekay by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Alekay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Alekay
The given name Alekay has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, dating back to around 3500 BC. It is believed to be derived from the Sumerian words "al" meaning "high" and "kay" meaning "spirit" or "soul". The name was likely intended to convey a sense of elevation, nobility, or spiritual enlightenment.
Alekay was a relatively uncommon name in ancient Sumerian society, but it did appear in a few cuneiform inscriptions and clay tablets from the region of Mesopotamia, which is now modern-day Iraq. These early records provide some of the earliest documented examples of the name's use.
During the height of the Babylonian Empire, around 1800 BC, the name Alekay gained some popularity among the ruling classes and nobility. One notable figure from this era was Alekay of Ur, a high priest and astrologer who served under King Shulgi. His writings on celestial bodies and their movements were considered groundbreaking for the time.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, there was a minor deity known as Alekay, who was believed to be the protector of travelers and merchants. This deity was often invoked for safe journeys and successful business ventures. While not a major figure in Egyptian religion, the inclusion of the name in their pantheon suggests its significance in the region.
During the Middle Ages, the name Alekay surfaced in various European regions, particularly in the areas of modern-day Germany and France. One notable bearer of the name was Alekay of Cologne (1175-1241), a Benedictine monk and scholar who wrote extensively on theology and philosophy.
In the 16th century, Alekay Mirazhoev (1505-1578) was a renowned Persian poet and mystic who gained fame for his spiritual verses and teachings on Sufism. His works were widely studied and admired throughout the Persian-speaking world.
Other notable individuals with the name Alekay include Alekay Kravchenko (1823-1895), a Russian revolutionary and author who advocated for workers' rights, and Alekay Tanaka (1885-1962), a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as the Foreign Minister of Japan from 1936 to 1937.
While the name Alekay has seen a decline in popularity in recent times, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of human history, with its roots stretching back to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.
People
Alekay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alekay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Alekay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alekay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alekay going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Alekay a common name?
We classify Alekay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alekay most popular?
The single biggest year for Alekay was 2009, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alekay is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Alekay in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Alekay a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alekay in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Alekay still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Alekay in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Alekay can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Alekay?
Want to know how many people have the name Alekay? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.