Fun Facts About the Name Elsa
- More than 30 thousand babies named Elsa: U.S. records list 30,727 babies given the name Elsa from 1880 through 2025. Even 21 boys received the name Elsa - about 1 boy for every 1,462 girls.
What Does the Name Elsa Mean?
Elsa is a short form of Elizabeth, a name of Hebrew origin. Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew name Elisheva (אֱלִישֶׁבַע), commonly explained as "God is my oath" or "my God is an oath." The first element is el, meaning "God." The second element is usually connected with a Hebrew root for "oath," but some explanations link it to a word for "seven" or "abundance," so the exact sense is uncertain. Elsa inherits this etymology rather than having a separate root; it is a shortened form that became established as an independent given name in German and Scandinavian usage.
Elsa Name History & Origins
Elsa developed from Elisabeth in German-speaking Europe. The name's older lineage runs from Hebrew Elisheva to Greek Elisabet and Latin Elisabeth, which spread widely in Christian Europe. In German, Elisabeth was shortened in several ways, including Elsa, Else, and Ilse. Elsa also became established in Scandinavia, where it is used in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish as an independent given name as well as a form of Elisabeth.
In literature and later popular works, Elsa of Brabant is a central character in Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin. The name also appears in the story of Elsa the lioness in Born Free and in the Disney film Frozen. These are later uses of the name, not its origin.
How Popular is the Name Elsa?
Elsa recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2014. Its best rank was #215 in 1895.
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 | #1,104 | 216 | 0.0134% |
| 2024 | #938 | 280 | 0.0174% |
| 2023 | #1,030 | 246 | 0.0153% |
| 2022 | #994 | 264 | 0.0161% |
| 2021 | #952 | 275 | 0.0168% |
| 2020 | #917 | 284 | 0.0176% |
| 2019 | #791 | 350 | 0.0209% |
| 2018 | #888 | 305 | 0.0179% |
| 2017 | #686 | 425 | 0.0246% |
| 2016 | #626 | 477 | 0.0269% |
| 2015 | #486 | 658 | 0.0369% |
| 2014 | #286 | 1,140 | 0.0638% |
| 2013 | #528 | 566 | 0.0323% |
| 2012 | #549 | 542 | 0.0308% |
| 2011 | #580 | 499 | 0.0284% |
| 2010 | #603 | 487 | 0.0274% |
| 2009 | #683 | 426 | 0.0232% |
| 2008 | #720 | 413 | 0.0218% |
| 2007 | #742 | 393 | 0.0204% |
| 2006 | #785 | 350 | 0.0184% |
| 2005 | #761 | 350 | 0.0189% |
| 2004 | #813 | 308 | 0.0168% |
| 2003 | #733 | 349 | 0.0191% |
| 2002 | #824 | 283 | 0.0158% |
| 2001 | #916 | 247 | 0.0137% |
| 2000 | #911 | 240 | 0.0132% |
| 1999 | #899 | 236 | 0.0133% |
| 1998 | #999 | 200 | 0.0113% |
| 1997 | #993 | 196 | 0.0113% |
| 1996 | #870 | 228 | 0.0130% |
| 1995 | #867 | 222 | 0.0126% |
| 1994 | #864 | 227 | 0.0127% |
| 1993 | #958 | 197 | 0.0109% |
| 1992 | #863 | 229 | 0.0124% |
| 1991 | #892 | 220 | 0.0117% |
| 1990 | #815 | 242 | 0.0127% |
| 1989 | #880 | 209 | 0.0113% |
| 1988 | #974 | 170 | 0.0095% |
| 1987 | #947 | 171 | 0.0098% |
| 1986 | #837 | 199 | 0.0116% |
| 1985 | #846 | 192 | 0.0112% |
| 1984 | #750 | 216 | 0.0128% |
| 1983 | #716 | 235 | 0.0141% |
| 1982 | #787 | 206 | 0.0122% |
| 1981 | #700 | 240 | 0.0144% |
| 1980 | #699 | 244 | 0.0147% |
| 1979 | #765 | 210 | 0.0131% |
| 1978 | #703 | 225 | 0.0147% |
| 1977 | #656 | 245 | 0.0160% |
| 1976 | #597 | 269 | 0.0184% |
| 1975 | #618 | 255 | 0.0175% |
| 1974 | #613 | 254 | 0.0173% |
| 1973 | #611 | 253 | 0.0173% |
| 1972 | #606 | 263 | 0.0173% |
| 1971 | #611 | 279 | 0.0168% |
| 1970 | #588 | 298 | 0.0170% |
| 1969 | #592 | 280 | 0.0166% |
| 1968 | #616 | 243 | 0.0148% |
| 1967 | #605 | 246 | 0.0149% |
| 1966 | #552 | 295 | 0.0174% |
| 1965 | #576 | 274 | 0.0155% |
| 1964 | #590 | 282 | 0.0149% |
| 1963 | #588 | 286 | 0.0148% |
| 1962 | #602 | 276 | 0.0140% |
| 1961 | #596 | 285 | 0.0141% |
| 1960 | #594 | 279 | 0.0138% |
| 1959 | #592 | 280 | 0.0138% |
| 1958 | #586 | 287 | 0.0143% |
| 1957 | #520 | 340 | 0.0166% |
| 1956 | #527 | 309 | 0.0154% |
| 1955 | #542 | 289 | 0.0148% |
| 1954 | #566 | 248 | 0.0128% |
| 1953 | #618 | 207 | 0.0110% |
| 1952 | #592 | 216 | 0.0116% |
| 1951 | #650 | 178 | 0.0099% |
| 1950 | #695 | 154 | 0.0090% |
| 1949 | #726 | 137 | 0.0080% |
| 1948 | #718 | 138 | 0.0081% |
| 1947 | #739 | 134 | 0.0076% |
| 1946 | #773 | 113 | 0.0072% |
| 1945 | #655 | 126 | 0.0096% |
| 1944 | #686 | 119 | 0.0090% |
| 1943 | #645 | 139 | 0.0100% |
| 1942 | #643 | 136 | 0.0101% |
| 1941 | #590 | 142 | 0.0118% |
| 1940 | #640 | 122 | 0.0107% |
| 1939 | #542 | 151 | 0.0138% |
| 1938 | #611 | 125 | 0.0113% |
| 1937 | #592 | 129 | 0.0121% |
| 1936 | #580 | 130 | 0.0125% |
| 1935 | #612 | 113 | 0.0108% |
| 1934 | #636 | 110 | 0.0105% |
| 1933 | #576 | 124 | 0.0123% |
| 1932 | #577 | 130 | 0.0122% |
| 1931 | #553 | 140 | 0.0131% |
| 1930 | #586 | 137 | 0.0122% |
| 1929 | #606 | 128 | 0.0115% |
| 1928 | #557 | 158 | 0.0137% |
| 1927 | #605 | 138 | 0.0116% |
| 1926 | #609 | 136 | 0.0115% |
| 1925 | #616 | 141 | 0.0116% |
| 1924 | #635 | 140 | 0.0112% |
| 1923 | #628 | 138 | 0.0114% |
| 1922 | #588 | 149 | 0.0124% |
| 1921 | #583 | 154 | 0.0125% |
| 1920 | #516 | 184 | 0.0154% |
| 1919 | #525 | 169 | 0.0150% |
| 1918 | #534 | 173 | 0.0149% |
| 1917 | #460 | 198 | 0.0183% |
| 1916 | #446 | 201 | 0.0192% |
| 1915 | #392 | 237 | 0.0241% |
| 1914 | #412 | 166 | 0.0218% |
| 1913 | #432 | 131 | 0.0210% |
| 1912 | #429 | 120 | 0.0215% |
| 1911 | #399 | 103 | 0.0246% |
| 1910 | #446 | 80 | 0.0202% |
| 1909 | #418 | 77 | 0.0222% |
| 1908 | #372 | 93 | 0.0278% |
| 1907 | #383 | 86 | 0.0270% |
| 1906 | #369 | 84 | 0.0284% |
| 1905 | #389 | 75 | 0.0257% |
| 1904 | #379 | 75 | 0.0272% |
| 1903 | #335 | 87 | 0.0332% |
| 1902 | #326 | 91 | 0.0345% |
| 1901 | #311 | 94 | 0.0393% |
| 1900 | #335 | 102 | 0.0340% |
| 1899 | #315 | 90 | 0.0386% |
| 1898 | #292 | 111 | 0.0429% |
| 1897 | #251 | 128 | 0.0547% |
| 1896 | #251 | 129 | 0.0542% |
| 1895 | #215 | 160 | 0.0685% |
| 1894 | #227 | 137 | 0.0615% |
| 1893 | #264 | 104 | 0.0488% |
| 1892 | #216 | 142 | 0.0669% |
| 1891 | #238 | 102 | 0.0550% |
| 1890 | #238 | 106 | 0.0557% |
| 1889 | #229 | 104 | 0.0583% |
| 1888 | #250 | 87 | 0.0487% |
| 1887 | #270 | 61 | 0.0418% |
| 1886 | #271 | 59 | 0.0408% |
| 1885 | #249 | 66 | 0.0496% |
| 1884 | #273 | 51 | 0.0395% |
| 1883 | #295 | 35 | 0.0312% |
| 1882 | #330 | 29 | 0.0269% |
| 1881 | #320 | 25 | 0.0272% |
| 1880 | #369 | 20 | 0.0220% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | #5,869 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,326 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #3,723 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1924 | #4,537 | 5 | 0.0004% |
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 Elsa
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How the Name Elsa 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 a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Elsa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Elsa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.