Fun Facts About the Name Elin
- More than 5 thousand babies named Elin: U.S. records list 5,204 babies given the name Elin from 1880 through 2025. Even 152 boys received the name Elin - about 1 boy for every 33 girls.
What Does the Name Elin Mean?
Elin is a form of Helena, the Greek name known in English as Helen, and its established meaning is usually given as "torch" or "light." The Greek Helene (Ἑλένη), the name of the figure at the center of the Iliad, has an uncertain etymology. It has been connected with the Greek noun helene (ἑλένη), which could refer to a torch or a basket, and sometimes with selene (σελήνη), "moon." "Torch" is therefore a traditional gloss rather than a securely fixed literal translation.
Two separate traditions use the name. In Scandinavia, Elin is a native shortened form of Helena and Ellen; in Wales, Elin is the Welsh form of Helen. Both come from the same Greek original and so share its meaning. The similar-looking English Elinor and Eleanor are not related to Elin and have their own, separately explained origin.
Elin Name History & Origins
Elin spread in Scandinavia as part of the wider family of forms - Helena, Helene, Ellen, Elin, Elina - that entered the Nordic languages through the medieval church, where Saint Helena was venerated and Helen was a common Christian name. Elin is generally described as a shortened vernacular form of Helena and Ellen that became an independent given name in its own right. It is established in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, is used in Finland among Swedish speakers, and appears as Elín in Icelandic.
In Wales, Elin is an established Welsh form of Helen rather than a borrowing from Scandinavian usage. Because the Welsh and Nordic names derive from the same Greek original, their spellings and pronunciations developed separately within each language.
The name is distinct from Elinor and Eleanor, which sound similar but have a different and disputed origin.
How Popular is the Name Elin?
Elin recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2011. Its best rank was #662 in 2011.
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 | #3,077 | 53 | 0.0033% |
| 2024 | #2,529 | 70 | 0.0043% |
| 2023 | #2,424 | 74 | 0.0046% |
| 2022 | #2,126 | 90 | 0.0055% |
| 2021 | #1,578 | 133 | 0.0081% |
| 2020 | #1,581 | 133 | 0.0082% |
| 2019 | #1,295 | 177 | 0.0106% |
| 2018 | #1,190 | 201 | 0.0118% |
| 2017 | #1,111 | 227 | 0.0132% |
| 2016 | #991 | 267 | 0.0151% |
| 2015 | #923 | 297 | 0.0166% |
| 2014 | #732 | 384 | 0.0215% |
| 2013 | #817 | 329 | 0.0188% |
| 2012 | #796 | 336 | 0.0191% |
| 2011 | #662 | 428 | 0.0243% |
| 2010 | #726 | 386 | 0.0217% |
| 2009 | #2,860 | 61 | 0.0033% |
| 2008 | #2,778 | 65 | 0.0034% |
| 2007 | #3,027 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 2006 | #3,523 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2005 | #3,756 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 2004 | #3,702 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 2003 | #6,682 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #6,478 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #7,069 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #7,710 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #8,987 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #8,163 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #8,541 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #6,842 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #6,051 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1994 | #5,522 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #5,752 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1992 | #6,758 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #5,744 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #4,415 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1989 | #7,606 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #6,786 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,914 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #5,027 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #4,691 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1984 | #4,372 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1983 | #6,356 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #3,558 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1981 | #5,993 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1980 | #4,576 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1979 | #4,682 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1978 | #5,295 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1977 | #6,001 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #4,419 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1975 | #5,246 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #4,293 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1973 | #6,868 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #4,146 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1970 | #4,100 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #4,804 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #5,806 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #5,114 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #6,006 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #3,798 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1964 | #3,153 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1963 | #5,482 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #2,958 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1961 | #3,839 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1960 | #3,760 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1959 | #3,150 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1958 | #3,424 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1957 | #4,314 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #3,547 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1955 | #3,437 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1954 | #2,926 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1953 | #3,324 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,959 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1951 | #2,412 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1950 | #2,371 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1949 | #3,450 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1948 | #2,025 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1947 | #2,160 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1946 | #2,508 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #2,090 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #2,317 | 15 | 0.0011% |
| 1943 | #1,916 | 21 | 0.0015% |
| 1942 | #2,241 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1941 | #2,296 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1940 | #2,459 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1939 | #2,776 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #2,369 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1937 | #3,929 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1936 | #2,568 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1935 | #3,885 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1934 | #3,948 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #3,516 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #3,363 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #2,907 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1929 | #2,987 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1928 | #3,524 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #3,637 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1926 | #3,664 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #3,453 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1924 | #4,629 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #3,731 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1922 | #3,461 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #2,823 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #4,096 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #3,283 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #3,323 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #2,946 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1916 | #2,283 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1915 | #3,534 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1914 | #1,936 | 13 | 0.0017% |
| 1913 | #2,390 | 8 | 0.0013% |
| 1912 | #2,731 | 6 | 0.0011% |
| 1911 | #2,273 | 6 | 0.0014% |
| 1910 | #2,523 | 5 | 0.0013% |
| 1909 | #1,818 | 7 | 0.0020% |
| 1908 | #1,923 | 6 | 0.0018% |
| 1907 | #1,893 | 6 | 0.0019% |
| 1904 | #1,718 | 6 | 0.0022% |
| 1894 | #1,551 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1893 | #1,036 | 9 | 0.0042% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #8,493 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #7,152 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #6,184 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #9,976 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #9,994 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #9,955 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #6,790 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #8,332 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #6,004 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #7,715 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #5,557 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #13,112 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2006 | #12,592 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2004 | #10,353 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #11,409 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #11,203 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #10,901 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,827 | 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.
