Kaaliyah: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#5,314

among girls · ↑2,456 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Kaaliyah

How common

1 in 66,969

girls born in 2025

Peak year

2002

27 babies

All-time total

437

#12,822 all-time among girls

First recorded

1994

in Social Security records

Kaaliyah popularity over time

437 babies have been named Kaaliyah since 1994, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–
1990s	23	2	–	#10,240
2000s	188	19	+717%	#4,556
2010s	142	14	-24%	#5,831
2020s (to 2025)	84	14	-1%	#5,314

Where Kaaliyah is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	27	0.02	outside top 500
2027	29	0.02	outside top 500
2028	31	0.02	outside top 500
2029	33	0.02	outside top 500
2030	35	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Kaaliyah

Kaaliyah is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,314 in 2025 with 24 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1994, 437 American babies have been named Kaaliyah. Its peak came in 2002, when 27 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kaaliyah stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kaaliyah?

The median living Kaaliyah is about 15 years old; half are between 8 and 20. An estimated 400 people named Kaaliyah are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Kaaliyah year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank
2025	24	#5,314
2024	14	#7,770
2023	13	#8,254
2022	13	#8,257
2021	11	#9,236
2020	9	#10,664
2019	15	#7,522
2018	7	#13,087
2017	13	#8,528
2016	11	#9,726
2015	13	#8,684
2014	12	#9,234
2013	12	#9,293
2012	14	#8,417
2011	23	#5,831
2010	22	#6,053
2009	20	#6,678
2008	24	#5,849
2007	25	#5,605
2006	22	#6,018
2005	16	#7,304
2004	14	#8,009
2003	21	#5,684
2002	27	#4,556
2001	9	#10,513
2000	10	#9,499
1995	–	–
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kaaliyah, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Kaaliyah?

The median living Kaaliyah is about 15 years old. Half of all living Kaaliyahs are between 8 and 20 years old.

How many people named Kaaliyah are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Kaaliyah are alive in the United States, based on 437 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Kaaliyah in 2025?

Kaaliyah ranked #5,314 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 24 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kaaliyah?

437 babies have been named Kaaliyah in the United States since 1994, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kaaliyah most popular?

Kaaliyah peaked in 2002, when 27 newborns received the name.

Is Kaaliyah a boy or girl name?

Kaaliyah is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kaaliyah rising or falling?

Kaaliyah is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Kaaliyah become more popular?

Kaaliyah is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 35 girls named Kaaliyah in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Kaaliyah

Names that sound and feel close to Kaaliyah: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kaaliyah with similar names → More names starting with K →