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Elija as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Elija

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The baby name Elija is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ih-LYE-ə (ɪˈlaɪə),eh-LEE-yə (ɛˈliːjə),uh-LEE-yə (əˈliːjə).

Elija is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: ih-LYE-ə (ɪˈlaɪə),eh-LEE-yə (ɛˈliːjə),uh-LEE-yə (əˈliːjə)

What is the meaning of the name Elija ?

The baby name Elija is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ih-LYE-ə (ɪˈlaɪə),eh-LEE-yə (ɛˈliːjə),uh-LEE-yə (əˈliːjə).

Elija is Hebrew in Origin.

Elija is a streamlined European variant of Elijah, rooted in Hebrew ’Eliyahu, meaning “My God is Yahweh.” The name comes via Greek and Latin (Elias) into many languages; Elija appears in Slovene and is also found in Finnish and German-speaking contexts, alongside cognates such as Elias and Elia. Its biblical anchor is the prophet Elijah of the Hebrew Bible, revered across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for defending monotheism and performing miracles on Mount Carmel.

Usage has fluctuated over centuries: Elias dominated in medieval and early modern Europe, while Elijah rose in English-speaking countries from the 17th century onward. Elija, the lighter orthography, has gained modest contemporary traction in parts of Europe as parents seek international, phonetic spellings. Variants and related forms include Elijah, Elias, Elia, Ilija (South Slavic), Ilya (Russian), Élie (French), Elías (Spanish/Icelandic), and Eliyahu (Hebrew).

Elija has the following similar or variant Names

Elija – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 874
LT 0 #88 1 949
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
Switzerland Boys 2024 #119 19 1,769
CY Girls 0 #125 1 3,755
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
LT Girls 0 #179 16 1,904
Sweden Boys 2022 #181 2 1,509
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
Sweden Girls 2021 #182 2 1,666
SI Boys 0 #210 2 3,402
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
HR Girls 0 #290 5 3,687
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
QA Girls 0 #342 2 15,378
GH Boys 0 #358 4 8,138
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
France Boys 2020 #388 4 2,846
BD Girls 0 #398 9 8,413
PH Boys 0 #406 3 11,440
PH Girls 0 #428 2 13,098
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
AE Girls 0 #595 3 20,968
IL Boys 0 #625 1 10,983
HK Girls 0 #650 1 16,104
IN Girls 0 #651 4 13,121
Finland Boys 2026 #675 8 3,552
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
SG Boys 0 #739 1 17,960
BR Boys 0 #785 1 12,213
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
NG Girls 0 #825 2 15,093
United States Boys 2024 #881 12 7,044
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
NG Boys 0 #924 28 16,906
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,011 4 25,931
MY Girls 0 #1,071 2 24,821
ZA Boys 0 #1,107 72 25,619
AE Boys 0 #1,143 1 22,615
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,235 2 25,928
TR 0 #1,254 1 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,689 3 28,008

Elija is popular in 36 countries — most recent births per country:

Switzerland
United States
Ireland
Sweden
France

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People also ask about Elija

Elija is predominantly a boy's name.
Elija is a 3 syllable name, pronounced ih-LYE-ə (ɪˈlaɪə),eh-LEE-yə (ɛˈliːjə),uh-LEE-yə (əˈliːjə).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Elijah, Elia, Eliya, Eliyahu and Elija (regional spelling).
Across languages, Elija has these equivalents: {'Hebrew': 'Eliyahu (אֵלִיָּהוּ), 'Russian': 'Ilya (Илья), 'Arabic': 'Ilyās (إلياس).
Yes, very popular — Elija ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Elija ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Elija's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #139 in 2014 to #119 in 2024 in Switzerland.