Alaya is a distinctive girls' name in United States, ranking #800 in 2013 with 338 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2020 with 913 births ranking #338. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 634.8%. In 2013, approximately 1 in every 5,191 girls born was named Alaya. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
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.