Fun Facts About the Name Ilam
- 11 babies named Ilam: U.S. records list 11 babies given the name Ilam from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ilam Mean?
Ilam is an uncommon given name whose clearest link is to the ancient name Elam, written עֵילָם in Hebrew and used both for a region in southwestern Iran and for a son of Shem in the Hebrew Bible. Older forms of the name include Akkadian Elamtu and Elamite Haltamti. Because the word names a land rather than being built from everyday vocabulary, its literal sense is not settled; explanations that have been proposed, such as a link to highlands, are not firmly established.
A separate, similarly spelled word exists in Tamil: iḷam, meaning "young" or "tender." It has been suggested as a source for some South Asian uses of the name, but it is a distinct word, and evidence that Ilam stands on its own as a personal name from that source is limited.
Ilam Name History & Origins
Elam was the Hebrew name for the kingdom east of Babylonia, centered on Susa, and the same land appears as Elamtu in Akkadian texts and Haltamti in the Elamite language. Genesis 10 lists Elam among the sons of Shem, and the name recurs in the Hebrew Bible for individuals and families. The modern Iranian province and city of Ilam carry this older name forward; the province lies in the same broad region as ancient Elam.
As a personal name, Ilam is rare, and documented use is thin; the word is met far more often as a place name. The same spelling names a district and town in eastern Nepal and a village in Staffordshire, England. Those places have their own histories and are not evidence for the origin of the ancient name.
How Popular is the Name Ilam?
Ilam has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #11,180 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,180 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #12,948 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Ilam
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with I
Short Boy Names That Start with I
How the Name Ilam Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Ilam's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ilam's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.