Names › Girls' names › A › Alaia
Alaia
Meaning: joyful; happy · Origin: Basque · Gender: usually a girl's name
Origin & history
Alaia is a Basque name meaning 'joyful' or 'happy'. It is also used in Spanish-speaking communities and has gained recent US popularity.
Popularity of Alaia in the US, 1880–2025
2025: 2,318 US baby girls named Alaia — #117 for girls · Peak: 2,429 in 2024 · 1950: fewer than 5 · 2000: 14 · 2020: 2,282
Source: US Social Security Administration (SSA) national baby-name data, 1880–2025 (names.zip). Counts are babies of that gender given exactly this spelling each year; SSA leaves out a name in any year with fewer than 5 births.
How to pronounce Alaia
ah-LIE-uh · IPA /əˈlaɪə/ (common American English pronunciation)
Language of origin
Basque — possibly “joy” / “happiness”
How the meaning and use of Alaia developed
Alaia is a modern Basque usage whose exact traditional derivation is debated; it has spread internationally in recent decades.
Related names from the same root
Aaliya · Alia
Sibling names that go well with Alaia
Sister: Amaya · Kaia
Brother: Kairo · Xander
Our editorial suggestions — similar era, style and length — chosen from names with full pages on this site.
Nicknames
Lai
Variants & related names
Alaïa, Alaya
Alaia name art
A free preview of a printable “Alaia” poster with its meaning — great for a nursery, a birthday or a gift.
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FAQ
What does the name Alaia mean?
Alaia means “joyful; happy”. It comes from Basque.
How do you pronounce Alaia?
Alaia is usually pronounced ah-LIE-uh (/əˈlaɪə/).
Is Alaia a popular name?
In 2025, Alaia ranked #117 among girls' names in the United States, given to 2,318 baby girls, according to US Social Security Administration data. Its peak year was 2024 (2,429 babies).
What are nicknames for Alaia?
Lai.
What are other forms of Alaia?
Alaïa, Alaya.
What are good sibling names for Alaia?
Sister: Amaya, Kaia. Brother: Kairo, Xander.
Similar names
Amaya · Amelia · Ava · Aurora · Avery · Abigail
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Sources: standard name etymology references (e.g. Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names); popularity from US SSA and UK ONS baby-name data. Meanings of old names are often debated — where scholars disagree we say so.