How Popular (or Rare) was Alaya in 2003?

Name Meaning & Origin

Alaya is best understood as a modern variant of Alayah. In turn, Alayah is usually treated as a creative offshoot of Aaliyah, so the broader name family points back to the Arabic root associated with height or loftiness.

This is a modern formation rather than a long-established traditional name. Some websites point to the Sanskrit Buddhist term alaya, but Behind the Name treats that as a coincidence rather than the main naming origin.