Kahlia
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly relating to the Greek word "kallos" meaning beauty.
Name Census estimates that about 1,266 living Americans carry the first name Kahlia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kahlia today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kahlia births was 2020 (66 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kahlia. 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
- • Kahlia is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 17 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 270,738 Americans
Peak year
2020
66 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,459
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Kahlia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kahlia from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 447 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Kahlia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kahlia 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 Kahlia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kahlias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Florida, Texas recorded the most babies named Kahlia, while New York, North Carolina, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 25 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kahlia
The name Kahlia has its origins in the Arabic language, derived from the word "kahil," which means "vigilant" or "watchful." This name gained popularity in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period, particularly among Muslims.
In ancient Arabic texts and historical records, the name Kahlia was often associated with individuals known for their wisdom, vigilance, and watchful nature. It was a name bestowed upon those who were considered guardians or protectors of their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kahlia can be found in the 9th century, when a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Baghdad bore this name. Kahlia ibn al-Husayn (788-861 CE) was a prominent figure in the field of Islamic jurisprudence and is remembered for his contributions to the development of the Hanafi school of thought.
Another notable figure with the name Kahlia was Kahlia al-Baghdadi (1050-1130 CE), a renowned physician and philosopher from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and natural philosophy during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the 13th century, Kahlia al-Marrakushi (1210-1275 CE) was a celebrated Moroccan traveler and writer. His travelogues, which documented his journeys across North Africa and the Middle East, provided valuable insights into the cultures and societies of that era.
During the 14th century, Kahlia al-Dimashqi (1300-1367 CE) was a highly respected Syrian scholar and historian. His comprehensive work, "The Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems," is considered a seminal text on the history of the Islamic world.
In the 16th century, Kahlia al-Andalusi (1520-1593 CE) was a notable poet and philosopher from Andalusia (modern-day Spain). His poetry, which often explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, earned him widespread acclaim during his lifetime.
These are just a few examples of influential individuals throughout history who bore the name Kahlia, reflecting its deep roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture.
People
Kahlia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kahlia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kahlia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kahlia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,266 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kahlia 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 270,738 US residents.
Is Kahlia a common name?
We classify Kahlia as "Rare". It ranks above 91.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,286 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kahlia most popular?
The single biggest year for Kahlia was 2020, when 66 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kahlia is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kahlia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kahlia in the SSA data are female. 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.