Naliyah is a modern American blend of Nala, the lioness from The Lion King whose name is often given as Swahili for "gift", and Aaliyah, the Arabic name meaning "exalted" or "high" that the late singer Aaliyah made famous. It has been used mainly in African American families since the 2000s. Naliyah stood at number 12739 in 2000, reached its best rank of number 1887 in 2024 and is number 2529 among girls' names in 2025.