Name meaning & stats
Ala
Ala means “exalted, sublime” (Arabic origin). 731 US babies since 1940, peak 1992. Notable Alas are 1.3× over-represented as politicians.
What it means
“exalted, sublime”
ArabicSpelling of Aaliyah
Aaliyah around the world
- Алия · Russian
- عاليه · Arabic
- אליה · Hebrew
- アリーヤ · Japanese
- 阿丽雅 · Chinese
Famous Aaliyahs
- Aaliyah · American R&B singer (1979–2001)
In US birth records
Peak year: 1992
731 US babies were named Ala between 1940 and 2025.
Ala around the world
- England & Wales: 84 babies since 1996, peak 2010, No. 3,705 in 2025
- France: 115 babies since 1900, peak 2019
- Sweden: 32 babies since 1998, peak 2005
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Alas end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Politician | 1.3× | Low · 4 people |
| Actor | 1.0× | Low · 2 people |
| Writer | 1.0× | Low · 1 people |
| Judge | 1.2× | Low · 1 people |
Among notable women who are politicians, Alas show up 1.3× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
Other spellings
1 in 420 Aaliyahs spell it Ala
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1992)