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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Joyful, cheerful
- Origin
- Basque
- Gender
- Girl
- Pronunciation
- ah-LY-ah
Alaia is a Basque name meaning joyful, cheerful, pronounced ah-LY-ah. You may come across the claim that it means 'exalted' or 'the highest one' — that's actually a mix-up with the separate, Arabic-origin name behind Aaliyah, not Alaia's own root. For a parent who likes a name with real weight behind its sound and its sense, this one carries both.
Meaning & Origin of Alaia
Meaning: Joyful, cheerful.
Origin: Basque.
A common claim: Alaia is sometimes claimed to mean 'exalted' or 'the highest one,' echoing the name Aaliyah/Alaya. Actually: That's a mix-up with a separate Arabic-origin name — Alaia as currently popularized traces to Basque alai, 'joyful, cheerful,' a different root entirely.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Alaia
ah-LY-ahIPA /əˈlaɪə/
Popularity of Alaia
In 2024, Alaia ranked #112 on the SSA list with 2,425 babies given the name — its highest rank in the data going back to 1986.
Names Like Alaia
These names share Alaia’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Alaia mean?
Joyful, cheerful. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Alaia?
Alaia is pronounced ah-LY-ah (IPA: /əˈlaɪə/).
Is Alaia a popular name right now?
Alaia is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #112 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1986–2024.)
Make Alaia Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Alaia, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Alaia? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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