elijah

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Elijah

Elijah is a biblical character who may be found in the first and second books of Kings in the Old Testament of the Bible. The name Elijah became widely used throughout the Middle Ages as a result of Elijah’s popularity in medieval legends and the fact that a few early saints had his name. Typically, Elis was how it was spelled in medieval England. By the 16th century, it had already perished there, but during the Protestant Reformation, the Puritans brought it back to life under the guise of Elijah.

In certain Biblical translations, Elijah’s name is written as Elias, which means “Yahweh is my God.” The Hebrew phrase “Jehovah is my God” is the origin of the name Elijah, which dates back to the Old Testament of the Bible. The original Elijah of the Bible was a prophet renowned for standing up for the worship of God and working miracles in his honor. Muslims, Christians, and Jews all hold high regard for the prophet Elijah.

Elijah’s name is referred to during the weekly Havdalah ceremony in Judaism, as well as throughout other Jewish rituals including the Passover Seder and the brit milah. The Christian New Testament acknowledges that some people believed that Jesus was, in a manner, Elijah. Elijah and Moses were said to have appeared with Moses at the Transfiguration of Jesus.

In different languages, this name has different variations. Some well-known and widely used are Elia (Italian), Elian (Dutch), Elias (Greek), Eliasz (Polish), Élie (French), Eliyahu (Hebrew), Ilija (Croatian), and Ilja (Estonian).

A fictitious character from Isaac Asimov’s Robot series is named Elijah “Lije” Baley. He is the primary character in the short tale “Mirror Image.” Another fictitious character in CSI: Cyber is named Elijah Mundo. He is an authority in battlefield forensics, weapons, vehicles, and bombs and a former US Marine.

Elijah

Meaning Yahweh is my God

Gender Boy

Religion Christianity

Origin Hebrew

Lucky Number 9

Syllables Three

Length 1 word, 6 letters, 3 vowels, 3 consonants

Type Medium length and moderately easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Elijah?

Elijah On The Popularity Chart

Since 1990, the name Elijah has been growing significantly among the US parents. Have a look at the graphs below to understand more.

Popularity Over Time

Elijah has been rising in popularity for the last two decades. In 2021, a whopping number of 12,708 babies per million are registered under thiS name in the US.

Rank Over Time

The name is quite popular in the United states, but unfortunately this name has never made it among the top 1000 names in the US baby names chart with its highest rank being 12,366th.

Names With Similar Sound As Elijah

If you are looking to explore more names that sound like Elijah, here are some suggestions.

Alagendhi Ealdgyth Elgin Elgine Elgizouli Elige Eligio Eligius Elija Elijachuh

Popular Sibling Names For Elijah

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Elijah, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For Elijah

Find matching brother names for Elijah and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Alagelil Alagen Alagendhi Alagesa Alagesan Alaginiyan Alajos Alejandro Algie Algis

Girl Sibling Names For Elijah

Looking for some suitable sister names for Elijah? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Aailayah Aaliyah Aeleis Alisabeth Alitza Aliyah Aliza Alizabeth Allissa Alliya

Other Popular Names Beginning With E

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter E to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Ean Eathan Eban Ebb Eben Ebenezer Ebrard Eder Edin Edom

Names With Similar Meaning As Elijah

If you want a name that means the same as Elijah but sounds different? Take a look at the options listed below.

Ealhsige Eelis Eillic Elais Elaisa Elci Elcu Eleos Elewisa Elias

Infographic: Know The Name Elijah‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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How To Communicate The Name Elijah In Other Languages

In Nautical Flags

elijah

In Sign Language

elijah

In Braille Alphabet

elijah

In Morse Code

elijah

Name Numerology For Elijah

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the meaning of the name Elijah?

The name Elijah means ‘Yahweh is my God’ in Hebrew.

2. What is the origin of the name Elijah?

Elijah has a Hebrew origin.

3. How to pronounce the name Elijah?

Elijah is pronounced as eh-lai-juh.

4. Are there any significant cultural or religious associations with the name Elijah?

The masculine name Elijah has important religious associations with the Christian culture. Elijah was a prominent Biblical figure and was one of the major prophets in the Old Testament. He was a man of God, granted with the mighty power to restore life, to rain down fire, and withhold rain when the Israelites turned away from God (1) (2).

5. Are there any significant historical events or milestones associated with the name Elijah?

The name Elijah can be associated with Elijah Parish Lovejoy, a Presbyterian minister, abolitionist, journalist, and newspaper editor. He promoted freedom of speech and defended the freedom of the press. After his death, he became a martyr to the abolitionist cause opposing the act of slavery in the US.

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

1. Elijah: A Faithful Prophet in a Time of Adversity.
   https://www.nationalshrine.org/blog/elijah-a-faithful-prophet-in-a-time-of-adversity/
2. The Transfiguration.
   https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/jesus-the-christ/chapter-23?lang=eng

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Akshay NairMA

Akshay is an associate editor and former journalist with more than four years of experience. A post graduate in Mass Communication and Journalism, he has strong professional and academic background in the field of content writing and editing. He is also a Certified Relationship Workshop Facilitator for Life Coaches. Akshay interned and worked with various newspapers and the Public Relations...more