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Alaa

Girl name · 12 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Alaa: 12 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 3 births in 2014.

Alaa, a name with deep roots in Arabic, originates from the word ‘alā’, meaning "exalted," "high," or "sublime." It’s commonly used for both boys and girls in Scotland, reflecting the country’s growing cultural diversity. One prominent bearer is Alaa al-Aswany, the bestselling Egyptian novelist and author of *The Yacoubian Building*. Another is Alaa Abdelnaby, an Egyptian-American former NBA player who spent time with the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings. The name shares its root with the Islamic call to prayer, *Allahu Akbar* ("God is great"), giving it a spiritual resonance. In Scotland, Alaa has appeared on the baby name charts since the early 2000s, a testament to the nation’s multicultural tapestry.