Fun Facts About the Name Elba
- More than 3 thousand babies named Elba: U.S. records list 3,705 babies given the name Elba from 1880 through 2025. Even 313 boys received the name Elba - about 1 boy for every 11 girls.
What Does the Name Elba Mean?
Elba is a feminine given name, used most often in Spanish-speaking countries and also in Italy. It is generally described as a form of the older name Alba, which comes from Latin alba, the feminine of albus, "white." In Latin and in Spanish the same word also names the first light of day, so the literal sense is a color, while the customary meaning given for the name is simply "white."
A second and less certain explanation derives the name from the Germanic element alb, "elf," which appears in other Germanic names. Because Elba is uncommon and its early use is not well documented, the two explanations cannot be clearly separated for any particular use of the name. Elba is also the name of the Italian island where Napoleon was exiled, but the island's older names were different: Ilva in Latin and Aithalia in Greek. How the island's name became Elba is a question about the place name, and the place and the personal name do not automatically share an origin.
Elba Name History & Origins
The name Alba is recorded in Italy and Spain, and Elba appears as a form of it with the first vowel changed from a to e, a type of variation that is common in Romance-language naming. In Spanish-speaking regions the two have often been treated as versions of the same name.
The island of Elba lies off the coast of Tuscany. Napoleon was sent there in 1814, and the island's name in that period helped make the word familiar well beyond Italy, though the island's classical names were Ilva and Aithalia.
As a given name, Elba is found mainly in Spanish-speaking countries, and it has also appeared in the United States. It is additionally used as a surname and occurs in place names, such as the town of Elba in Alabama.
How Popular is the Name Elba?
Elba recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1956. Its best rank was #761 in 1891.
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 | #11,207 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #9,712 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #9,150 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #7,740 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #11,398 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #13,902 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #14,276 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #10,012 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #16,559 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #12,089 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #11,157 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #10,364 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #8,721 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #13,913 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #11,471 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #9,968 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #11,746 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #7,508 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #7,486 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2006 | #10,820 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #6,352 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #6,572 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #6,974 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #6,218 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2001 | #8,349 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #5,366 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1999 | #4,767 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1998 | #5,198 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1997 | #5,959 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1996 | #3,865 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1995 | #4,389 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1994 | #5,521 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #4,294 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #3,438 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1991 | #3,051 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1990 | #2,658 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 1989 | #3,062 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1988 | #3,108 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1987 | #3,450 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1986 | #2,866 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1985 | #2,502 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 1984 | #3,900 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1983 | #2,606 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1982 | #2,227 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1981 | #2,867 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1980 | #2,498 | 38 | 0.0023% |
| 1979 | #2,091 | 48 | 0.0030% |
| 1978 | #2,320 | 39 | 0.0025% |
| 1977 | #2,316 | 39 | 0.0025% |
| 1976 | #2,146 | 40 | 0.0027% |
| 1975 | #2,146 | 40 | 0.0027% |
| 1974 | #2,310 | 34 | 0.0023% |
| 1973 | #2,187 | 36 | 0.0025% |
| 1972 | #2,032 | 39 | 0.0026% |
| 1971 | #1,781 | 50 | 0.0030% |
| 1970 | #1,661 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 1969 | #1,940 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 1968 | #1,783 | 44 | 0.0027% |
| 1967 | #1,512 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1966 | #1,372 | 64 | 0.0038% |
| 1965 | #1,625 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 1964 | #1,562 | 53 | 0.0028% |
| 1963 | #1,821 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1962 | #1,363 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 1961 | #1,454 | 59 | 0.0029% |
| 1960 | #1,410 | 61 | 0.0030% |
| 1959 | #1,386 | 60 | 0.0030% |
| 1958 | #1,516 | 50 | 0.0025% |
| 1957 | #1,496 | 51 | 0.0025% |
| 1956 | #1,144 | 82 | 0.0041% |
| 1955 | #1,557 | 43 | 0.0022% |
| 1954 | #1,352 | 55 | 0.0028% |
| 1953 | #1,277 | 58 | 0.0031% |
| 1952 | #1,589 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1951 | #1,417 | 44 | 0.0024% |
| 1950 | #1,554 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1949 | #1,674 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1948 | #1,966 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1947 | #2,302 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1946 | #2,110 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1945 | #1,763 | 23 | 0.0018% |
| 1944 | #1,762 | 23 | 0.0017% |
| 1943 | #2,013 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1942 | #2,240 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1941 | #1,761 | 21 | 0.0017% |
| 1940 | #2,794 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #1,901 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1938 | #2,478 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1937 | #2,021 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1936 | #2,066 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1935 | #2,231 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1934 | #1,352 | 29 | 0.0028% |
| 1933 | #1,414 | 27 | 0.0027% |
| 1932 | #1,894 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1931 | #2,465 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #1,443 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1929 | #1,776 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1928 | #1,798 | 22 | 0.0019% |
| 1927 | #1,432 | 32 | 0.0027% |
| 1926 | #1,638 | 26 | 0.0022% |
| 1925 | #1,958 | 20 | 0.0016% |
| 1924 | #2,704 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1923 | #2,043 | 19 | 0.0016% |
| 1922 | #1,585 | 28 | 0.0023% |
| 1921 | #2,068 | 19 | 0.0015% |
| 1920 | #1,385 | 33 | 0.0028% |
| 1919 | #1,459 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1918 | #1,263 | 36 | 0.0031% |
| 1917 | #1,482 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1916 | #1,415 | 27 | 0.0026% |
| 1915 | #1,376 | 27 | 0.0027% |
| 1914 | #1,934 | 13 | 0.0017% |
| 1913 | #1,240 | 21 | 0.0034% |
| 1912 | #1,435 | 15 | 0.0027% |
| 1911 | #1,194 | 15 | 0.0036% |
| 1910 | #1,820 | 8 | 0.0020% |
| 1909 | #998 | 17 | 0.0049% |
| 1908 | #1,724 | 7 | 0.0021% |
| 1907 | #1,423 | 9 | 0.0028% |
| 1906 | #1,359 | 9 | 0.0030% |
| 1905 | #1,454 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1904 | #1,969 | 5 | 0.0018% |
| 1903 | #1,085 | 11 | 0.0042% |
| 1902 | #1,038 | 12 | 0.0045% |
| 1901 | #1,381 | 7 | 0.0029% |
| 1900 | #1,782 | 6 | 0.0020% |
| 1899 | #1,459 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1898 | #1,119 | 10 | 0.0039% |
| 1897 | #1,055 | 10 | 0.0043% |
| 1896 | #1,236 | 8 | 0.0034% |
| 1895 | #1,664 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1893 | #1,209 | 7 | 0.0033% |
| 1892 | #1,032 | 9 | 0.0042% |
| 1891 | #761 | 13 | 0.0070% |
| 1890 | #1,249 | 6 | 0.0032% |
| 1889 | #1,178 | 6 | 0.0034% |
| 1888 | #1,343 | 5 | 0.0028% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | #4,597 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #4,060 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #4,224 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #2,904 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #2,418 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,220 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #3,217 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #2,704 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1937 | #2,994 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #3,362 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1934 | #2,164 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1933 | #2,803 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #3,485 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1931 | #3,186 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #2,834 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1929 | #2,478 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #3,460 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #3,551 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #2,329 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1925 | #1,889 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1924 | #2,379 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1923 | #4,404 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #2,678 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1921 | #2,858 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1920 | #2,069 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1919 | #2,293 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1918 | #2,435 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1917 | #3,015 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1916 | #2,774 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1915 | #2,891 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1914 | #1,898 | 12 | 0.0018% |
| 1913 | #2,948 | 5 | 0.0010% |
| 1912 | #2,650 | 5 | 0.0012% |
| 1911 | #1,587 | 6 | 0.0027% |
| 1903 | #1,172 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1892 | #1,113 | 5 | 0.0041% |
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.
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How the Name Elba Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Elba's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Elba's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.