Kaliyah
Girl name · #392 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kaliyah? In official American birth records, Kaliyah has been tracked continuously since 1994, giving it 31 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 791 baby girls were named Kaliyah, placing it at #392 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #543, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,276 girls born in 2025 was named Kaliyah.
Babies named Kaliyah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 31-year story
Kaliyah first appears in the Social Security records in 1994, when 33 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 791 babies and a rank of #392. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kaliyah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kaliyah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kaliyah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kaliyah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kaliyah is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Kaliyah is most common in MS (2.2 per 1,000), SC (1.3 per 1,000), NV (1.3 per 1,000), TN (1.1 per 1,000), LA (1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kaliyah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kaliyah
Statistically, parents drawn to Kaliyah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sariyah, Zariyah, Kamiyah, Alayah, and Ariyah.
SariyahZariyahKamiyahAlayahAriyahAnayahAmayahAmiyah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kaliyah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 791 | #392 |
| 2024 | 705 | #442 |
| 2023 | 596 | #508 |
| 2022 | 498 | #602 |
| 2021 | 550 | #557 |
| 2020 | 522 | #564 |
| 2019 | 548 | #555 |
| 2018 | 589 | #534 |
| 2017 | 506 | #592 |
| 2016 | 501 | #601 |
| 2015 | 576 | #543 |
| 2014 | 565 | #548 |
| 2013 | 577 | #516 |
| 2012 | 562 | #537 |
| 2011 | 538 | #539 |
| 2010 | 511 | #571 |
| 2009 | 503 | #599 |
| 2008 | 491 | #628 |
| 2007 | 421 | #691 |
| 2006 | 365 | #753 |
| 2005 | 303 | #837 |
| 2004 | 361 | #732 |
| 2003 | 321 | #771 |
| 2002 | 301 | #780 |
| 2001 | 244 | #920 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kaliyah?
In official American birth records, the name Kaliyah first appeared in 1994 (over 31 years ago), when 33 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 31 years.
Is Kaliyah a popular girl name?
Kaliyah ranked #392 among girls in 2025 with 791 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #543.
When was the name Kaliyah most popular?
Kaliyah peaked in 2025, when 791 American girls received the name (ranked #392 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kaliyah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,276 newborn American girls was named Kaliyah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.