Aljay
A variation of the masculine name Alec, meaning "defender of the people".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Aljay. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Aljay today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aljay births was 2005 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aljay. 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 Aljay. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2005
5 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2005 SSA rank
#11,536
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Aljay: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Aljay 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 Aljay 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 Aljay
The name Aljay is a modern invention, likely created in the late 20th century. It does not have a clear origin from any specific language or culture. The name appears to be a combination of the common English name prefix "Al" and the English word "jay," which refers to a type of bird.
There are no known historical references or ancient texts that mention the name Aljay. It is a relatively new name that has emerged in recent decades, possibly as a unique or creative name choice for parents.
Due to its modern origin, there are no recorded examples of the name Aljay from earlier periods in history. However, here are five notable individuals who have borne this first name:
1. Aljay Howard, an American football player who played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) from 2008 to 2015.
2. Aljay Valdez, a Filipino actor and model known for his roles in various television series and films in the Philippines.
3. Aljay Javier, a Filipino musician and singer-songwriter who has released several albums and performed both locally and internationally.
4. Aljay Villanueva, a Filipino basketball player who has played for various teams in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
5. Aljay Sarmiento, a Filipino artist and illustrator known for his works in comic books, graphic novels, and concept art.
While the name Aljay is relatively new and lacks a deep historical background, it has gained some popularity in recent times, particularly in certain regions or communities. However, its usage remains relatively uncommon compared to more traditional names.
People
Aljay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aljay 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
Aljay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aljay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aljay 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 Aljay a common name?
We classify Aljay 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 Aljay most popular?
The single biggest year for Aljay was 2005, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aljay is about 21 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 Aljay in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Aljay a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aljay 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 Aljay still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Aljay 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 Aljay 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 share the name Aljay?
Want to know how many Americans are named Aljay? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.