Elijah is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the elements "Eli," meaning "my God," and "yah," which is a shortened form of "Yahweh," one of the names of God in the Old Testament. Thus, Elijah means "My God is Yahweh."
The name Elijah has a significant history and appears several times in the Bible. The most notable figure named Elijah was a prophet who lived during the reign of King Ahab in Israel. Known for his powerful miracles and fiery zeal, he is revered as a saint by many Christian denominations.
Elijah's name first appeared in the 9th century BC, when he was prophesying to King Ahab about an upcoming drought. Later, during the reign of King Ahaziah, Elijah famously called down fire from heaven and was subsequently taken up alive into heaven in a chariot of fire.
The name Elijah gained popularity in the Middle Ages due to its biblical associations and has since been used widely across various cultures. Today, it remains a popular choice among parents looking for a strong, meaningful name for their children.
Elijah is a name that has maintained popularity over the years in the United States, with a steady number of babies being named Elijah each year.
In recent years, there were eight boys named Elijah in 2009 and again in 2010. This shows that during these two years, the name was quite popular among parents-to-be. However, it seems that its popularity slightly dipped in 2017 with only six babies being named Elijah that year.
Overall, between 2009 and 2017, a total of twenty-two boys were named Elijah in the United States. This demonstrates that while there may be slight fluctuations in the number of newborns receiving this name each year, it remains relatively common over time.