iliya

Iliya is a masculine given name used in several Slavic and Balkan languages. It is a form of Elijah, originating from the Hebrew Eliyahu, and it carries the meaning “My God is Yahweh.” The name has been transmitted through Christian tradition and biblical translations, and its spelling varies by language and script. In Cyrillic-using areas the closest forms are Ilya (Илья) or Iliya (Илия), while other languages render it as Ilia, Ilias, or Iliás. The form Iliya is commonly found in Bulgarian and some South Slavic contexts; Ilya is predominant in Russian and Ukrainian usage; Ilias is standard in Greek and related contexts.

Iliya is typically used as a male given name. Variants and transliterations reflect regional pronunciation and religious heritage, rather than a single standardized spelling. In contemporary usage the name appears across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, and it is often encountered in historical records as well as modern naming in Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and neighboring countries. Related names include Elijah, Ilya, Ilia and Ilias, which share the same origin across different languages.