Boy name · Hebrew
Elijah
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: my God is YahwehElijah is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "my God is Yahweh". It is used in English and Hebrew.
- Meaning
- My God is Yahweh
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #7 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Elijah
As a boy's name, Elijah comes from Hebrew and means "my God is Yahweh". It is used in English and Hebrew.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Elijah on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Elijah on 4 lists.
“My God is Yahweh; Hebrew. Prophet taken up in a whirlwind, 2 Kings”
From Biblical names, biblical names for boys
“My God is Yahweh; Hebrew. Prophet of fire and whirlwind”
From Boy middle names, biblical middle names for boys
“My God is Yahweh; Hebrew. A fiery Old Testament prophet”
From Classic boy names, classic biblical boy names
“My God is Yahweh; Hebrew, a fearless prophet”
From Strong boy names, strong biblical boy names
How popular is Elijah?
- US rank in 2025
- #7
- 11,111 babies, 6,505 per million boys
- Best rank
- #4 in 2020
- Most babies: 14,001 in 2011
- Babies since 1880
- At least 380,611
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 781 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 617 per million |
| 1900s | 534 per million |
| 1910s | 294 per million |
| 1920s | 250 per million |
| 1930s | 202 per million |
| 1940s | 161 per million |
| 1950s | 114 per million |
| 1960s | 79 per million |
| 1970s | 206 per million |
| 1980s | 410 per million |
| 1990s | 1,779 per million |
| 2000s | 5,532 per million |
| 2010s | 7,294 per million |
| 2020s | 6,952 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9 | #8 | #7 | #5 | #4 | #4 | #5 | #5 | #8 | #7 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Elijah
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Elicommon English nickname
Other forms of Elijah
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- EliaMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- ÉlieMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- EliyahuMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- ElliotMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- ElliottMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, unisex)
- EllisMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, unisex)
- IliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- IlyaMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
Names spelled like Elijah
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- ElianVariant of names beginning with Eli, such as Elijah (Hebrew, boy)
- ElahTerebinth tree (Hebrew, unisex)
- EliavMy God is father (Hebrew, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
- JoelYahweh is God (Hebrew, boy)
- HezekiahYahweh strengthens (Hebrew, boy)
- JoshuaYahweh is salvation (Hebrew, boy)
- JosiahYahweh supports (Hebrew, boy)
- MicahWho is like Yahweh? (Hebrew, boy)
- AbijahMy father is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- AzariahYahweh has helped (Hebrew, boy)
- GioeleYahweh is God (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaiahYahweh is salvation (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Elijah
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
- SamuelName of God (Hebrew, boy)
Elijah: common questions
What does the name Elijah mean?
Elijah comes from Hebrew and means "my God is Yahweh".
Is Elijah a boy or girl name?
Elijah is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 15 girls and 11,111 boys in the US were named Elijah, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Elijah?
Common nicknames for Elijah include Eli.
How popular is the name Elijah?
Elijah ranked #7 in the US in 2025, with 11,111 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Elijah?
Forms of Elijah with the same meaning and origin include Elia (Italian), Elias (English), Élie (French), Eliyahu (Hebrew) and Elliot (English).
What middle names go with Elijah?
Middle names that flow well with Elijah include Abel, Ansel, Cedar, Drake and Jonah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.