Illias
A masculine name derived from the Hebrew name Elijah, meaning "my God is Yahweh".
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the first name Illias. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Illias today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Illias births was 2017 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Illias. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Illias with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
125
~ 1 in 2,742,035 Americans
Peak year
2017
18 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,356
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Illias: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Illias from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 84 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Illias 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 Illias 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 Illias
The given name Illias has its origins in the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek name Elias, which is a variant of the Hebrew name Eliyahu, meaning "my God is Yahweh" or "the Lord is my God."
The name Illias gained popularity in the Byzantine Empire, where it was commonly used among Greek Christians. It is believed to have been introduced to the region through the influence of the Hebrew prophets and the spread of Christianity.
One of the earliest historical references to the name Illias can be found in the Septuagint, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The prophet Elijah, whose name is rendered as Elias in Greek, plays a prominent role in the Old Testament narratives.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Illias. One of the earliest recorded examples is Illias of Crete (c. 8th century AD), a Byzantine monk and hagiographer who wrote the life of Saint Nikon the Metanoeite.
Another significant figure was Illias Petrov (1735-1805), a Russian prelate who served as the Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna. He played a crucial role in the Russian Orthodox Church during the reign of Catherine the Great.
In the field of literature, Illias Venezis (1904-1973) was a prominent Greek writer and poet, known for his novels and short stories depicting life on the islands of the Aegean Sea.
The name Illias also has a connection to the Byzantine Empire's military history. Illias Muradgea (c. 14th century) was a Serbian-born Byzantine general who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the late Byzantine period.
In more recent times, Illias Lalaounis (1924-2021) was a renowned Greek jeweler and goldsmith, known for his innovative designs and contributions to the revival of ancient Greek jewelry-making techniques.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Illias throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures, professions, and time periods.
People
Illias + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Illias as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Illias: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Illias?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 125 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Illias 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 2,742,035 US residents.
Is Illias a common name?
We classify Illias as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 126 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Illias most popular?
The single biggest year for Illias was 2017, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Illias is about 11 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 Illias in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Illias a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Illias 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 Illias still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Illias 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 Illias 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 have Illias as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.