| Aaron | Elijah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Exalted; of uncertain origin | Yahweh is my God |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AIR-un | ee-LY-juh |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1989 (15,308) | 2011 (14,001) |
| In 2025 | 4,041 | 11,111 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Aaron | Elijah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 27,346 | 72,049 |
| 2010s | 70,488 | 137,147 |
| 2000s | 86,992 | 110,421 |
| 1990s | 128,377 | 34,652 |
| 1980s | 138,357 | 7,567 |
| 1970s | 101,487 | 3,400 |
| 1960s | 26,070 | 1,524 |
| 1950s | 11,141 | 2,314 |
| 1940s | 5,940 | 2,399 |
| 1930s | 4,727 | 2,135 |
| 1920s | 6,177 | 2,755 |
| 1910s | 4,570 | 1,963 |
| 1900s | 1,050 | 725 |
| 1890s | 830 | 704 |
| 1880s | 910 | 856 |
Aaron is a Hebrew name of debated meaning, often given as “exalted, high” or “mountain of strength.” In the Bible he is the elder brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel.
Elijah is from the Hebrew Eliyyahu, “Yahweh is my God.” The prophet Elijah is a major figure in the Hebrew Bible.
Elijah is more popular than Aaron today: about 11,111 US babies were given the name Elijah in 2025, compared with 4,041 named Aaron.
Aaron means Exalted; of uncertain origin (Hebrew origin), while Elijah means Yahweh is my God (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Aaron first appears in 1880 and Elijah in 1880, so Aaron has the longer recorded history.