Ilai - A very unique male name
Ilai at a glance
Ilai is ranked #3038 among boy baby names in 2025, with 11 births in 2025. It peaked in 2022 at #2534 and first appeared on the charts in 2016.
- Rank in 2025
- #3038
- Births in 2025
- 11
- Peak year
- 2022 (#2534)
- First appeared
- 2016
- Popularity
- 1 in 133,299 boys
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 133,299 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ilai peaked in popularity 4 years ago in 2022 on position 2534.
Famous with this name
Ilai Shalev
Ilai Swindells
Ilai Margulies
How would you rate Ilai, 1-5?
Ilai is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ilai is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,306 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,723.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ilai is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Ilai origin and meaning
Hebrew/Aramaic
Exalted, uppermost — from ilai
Ilai is a Hebrew and Aramaic name from ilai, meaning exalted or uppermost, borne in tradition by Ilai the Elder, a Talmudic sage. It first appears in the American data in 2016 and peaked in 2022.
Attested etymology
Ilai is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Ilai, pop culture references for the name Ilai and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Ilai
We've found the following names that sound similar to Ilai, sorted by popularity.
Ilya / Ilay / Illya / Ilia / Iliya /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3038 |
| 2024 | 3175 |
| 2023 | 3646 |
| 2022 | 2534 |
| 2016 | 3988 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| California | 2306 |
| Texas | 2723 |
Even more about Ilai
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Ilai a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Ilai?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
ee-LY · /iːˈlaɪ/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- Ilay — An alternative spelling of the same name
Famous bearers
- Ilai the Elder — Talmudic sage (Ancient) Historical
Style
BiblicalInternational
Why parents choose it
A short Hebrew name with an uplifting meaning and an ancient sage behind it.
Worth knowing
- Ilai and Ilay are the same name in different spellings.
