Lijah
Masculine name derived from Elijah, meaning "Yahweh is God" in Hebrew.
Name Census estimates that about 208 living Americans carry the first name Lijah. It is a predominantly male name (95.2% of registrations). The average person named Lijah today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lijah births was 2020 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lijah. 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
208
~ 1 in 1,647,857 Americans
Peak year
2020
17 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,042
Tracked since 1998
Gender
Gender distribution for Lijah
Lijah leans heavily male at 95.2% of total registrations, but 10 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Lijah as a male name
- Ranked #6,042 in 2024
- 15 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (17 births)
Lijah as a female name
- Ranked #17,025 in 2002
- 5 female births in 2002
- Peak: 1998 (5 births)
Popularity
Lijah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lijah 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 97 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Lijah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lijah 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 Lijah 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 Lijah
The name Lijah originates from the Hebrew language and culture, and its earliest recorded use dates back to ancient times. It is a variation of the name Elijah, which means "my God is Yahweh" or "Yahweh is God." The name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew words "El" (God) and "Yah" (a shortened form of Yahweh, the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible).
One of the most famous historical references to the name Elijah, and consequently Lijah, is found in the Hebrew Bible. Elijah was a prominent prophet in the Old Testament, known for his miraculous works and his unwavering devotion to God. He played a crucial role in challenging the worship of Baal and restoring the faith of the Israelites in the one true God.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lijah as a distinct name is difficult to pinpoint precisely, but it likely emerged as a variation of Elijah in various cultures and languages over time. Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lijah.
One of the earliest recorded figures with the name Lijah was Lijah ben Shlomo, a Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century. He was known for his contributions to the study of the Talmud and Jewish law.
Another notable figure was Lijah ibn Ridwan, an Arab philosopher and physician who lived in the 12th century. He was renowned for his works on medicine and philosophy, and his writings were influential in both the Arab and European worlds.
In the 17th century, Lijah Burritt, an American author and linguist, gained recognition for his work on universal peace and his advocacy for education and human rights.
In the 19th century, Lijah Keeve, a British explorer and adventurer, made his mark by undertaking daring expeditions to remote regions of the world and documenting his travels.
More recently, Lijah Chuene, a South African politician and civil rights activist, played a significant role in the struggle against apartheid and the promotion of human rights in the late 20th century.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Lijah throughout history, demonstrating its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Lijah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lijah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lijah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lijah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 208 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lijah 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 1,647,857 US residents.
Is Lijah a common name?
We classify Lijah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 210 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lijah most popular?
The single biggest year for Lijah was 2020, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lijah is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lijah a male name?
Yes, 95.2% of people registered as Lijah 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.