Ilia
Meaning of Ilia
Ilia sparkles like a Mediterranean sunrise—a unisex gem with roots winding through Greek myth and Slavic tradition. In Greek (EE-LEE-uh) she whispers of Ilium and the Roman legend of Rhea Silvia, mother of Romulus and Remus, while in Russian (EE-LEE-yah) she echoes the fiery spirit of Ilya the Prophet. Born from the Hebrew Eliyahu and reborn in every tongue, Ilia dances across centuries with light-footed grace. In the U.S. today, about 14 little Ilia’s tiptoe into the world each year—enough to secure her spot around the 936th most popular name in 2024—yet rare enough to feel like your family’s own secret treasure. Warm and lyrical, Ilia invites your child to carry a story that’s as timeless as Troy, as bold as a Slavic folk song, and as bright as their first morning laugh.
Pronunciation
Greek
- Pronunced as EE-lee-uh (/iˈliə/)
Russian
- Pronunced as EE-lee-yah (/iˈlja/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Ilia
| Ilia Chavchavadze was a Georgian writer, poet and journalist who inspired Georgian nationalism and is revered as the Father of the Nation. |
| Ilia II of Georgia - Ilia II led the Georgian Orthodox Church from 1977 to 2026, becoming its longest-serving patriarch. |
| Ilia Kulik - Ilya Kulik is a Russian figure skater who won Olympic gold in 1998 and the European title in 1995. |
| Ilia Calderón - Ilia Calderon Chamat is a Colombian journalist who anchors Univision's national evening news and hosts its weekly newsmagazine Aqui y Ahora. |
| Ilia Braunstein was a Belgian philatelist honored on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1973. |
