Alieu
A masculine West African name of Fula origin meaning "divine being".
Name Census estimates that about 223 living Americans carry the first name Alieu. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alieu today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alieu births was 2013 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alieu. 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.
People living today
223
~ 1 in 1,537,015 Americans
Peak year
2013
15 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,315
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Alieu: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alieu from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 90 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Alieu remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alieu 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 Alieu during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alieu
The name Alieu originates from the Wolof language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. It is derived from the Arabic name Ali, which means "sublime" or "high." The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
In the Wolof culture, Alieu is a popular name given to boys, often with the intention of honoring the Islamic prophet Ali ibn Abi Talib, who was the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. The name has been widely used throughout West Africa, particularly in Senegal and Gambia, where the Wolof people have a significant presence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alieu can be found in the writings of Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan scholar and explorer who traveled extensively throughout the Islamic world in the 14th century. In his travelogue, he mentions encountering individuals with the name Alieu during his journey through West Africa.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Alieu. One of the most famous was Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof, a Gambian historian and writer who lived from 1924 to 1994. He was known for his extensive research and documentation of the history and culture of the Serer people in Gambia.
Another prominent figure was Alieu Badara Cissé, a Senegalese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal from 1998 to 2000. He was born in 1942 and played a significant role in shaping Senegal's foreign policy during his tenure.
In the realm of sports, Alieu Cissé, a former Senegalese football player and current manager of the Senegalese national team, has gained widespread recognition. Born in 1976, he captained the Senegalese team during the 2002 FIFA World Cup and has since led the team to various successes as their manager.
The name Alieu has also been borne by several religious leaders and scholars throughout history. One notable example is Alieu Cissé Niang, a prominent Senegalese Sufi scholar and leader of the Mouride Brotherhood, a influential Islamic religious movement in Senegal. He lived from 1939 to 2008 and played a crucial role in the promotion of Islamic teachings and values in the region.
In the world of literature, Alieu Badara Sowe, a Gambian writer and poet, has made significant contributions. Born in 1941, he is known for his works that explore themes of identity, culture, and the human experience within the context of West African society.
People
Alieu + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alieu 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
Alieu: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alieu?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 223 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alieu 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 1,537,015 US residents.
Is Alieu a common name?
We classify Alieu as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 225 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alieu most popular?
The single biggest year for Alieu was 2013, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alieu is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Alieu a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alieu 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.
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.