The baby name Elias keeps climbing, an international favorite with style to spare.
Thanks to Joanna for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES ELIAS MEAN?
Elias is simply another form of Elijah. It appears in the Greek version of the New Testament, as well as some English translations. It’s familiar in much of Europe, too.
Elijah and company come from a Hebrew name meaning “my God is Yahweh.” The character originally appears in the Old Testament, a prophet as well as miracle worker. When he died, Elijah was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. Elijah and Moses both appear in the New Testament alongside Jesus.
From the Greek origin, as well as the Latin Helias, Elias and Elijah typically became Elis in medieval England. His story was popular through the Middle Ages.
Elis lived on as surnames like Elliot, Ellis, and Ellison, but faded as a given name.
When Protestants parents revived Old Testament favorites to prove their Christian bona fides, Elijah enjoyed a revival.
FAMOUS FIGURES
Elijah enjoyed a revival in the United States beginning in the 1990s. Some credit goes to actor Elijah Wood, who was already well-known when he played Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The name has ranked in the US Top Ten since 2016.
Besides the actor, we’ve been wild for Biblical boy names ending with vowel sounds, especially A, for decades. Joshua gave way to Noah, and then came Isaiah and Elijah, followed by Ezra and Josiah and Jeremiah.
But how about men of note known as Elias?
- Born in 1617, Elias Ashmole’s interest ranged from astrology to alchemy. He supported the royalists during the English Civil War and was rewarded for his service after King Charles II re-claimed the throne. He collected all manner of curiosities in his lifetime, which became the basis for the University of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum of Art and Architecture. Opened in 1683, it’s considered the first public museum.
- 19th century inventor Elias Howe created the modern sewing machine. Isaac Singer made a fortune with it, but ended up having to pay royalties to Howe.
- Fans of Walt Disney might know his full name was Walter Elias. That middle came from his dad, Elias Disney. At one point, Mr. Disney worked in construction, helping to build the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. The fair directly influenced Walt’s eventual theme park empire.
- During the 1950s, Elias I claimed the Dukedom of Parma – even though it had ceased to exist a century earlier. A member of the House of Bourbon-Parma, his descendants still claim the throne today.
It’s an eclectic set that demonstrates the way Elias has remained steadily in use.
OTHER FORMS OF ELIAS
It’s not just in the US or even in the English-speaking world; Elias is popular globally.
Variations include:
- Slavic masculine forms Ilia and Ilya, as well as the feminine Iliana.
- Elia can be a boy’s name when based on Elias.
- However, in French, Élia is feminine, while Élie is the masculine form.
- Modern Greek transforms it to Ilias.
- Finnish form Eelis ranks in their Top 100, though Elias is even more popular.
There are more, some of them working across gender lines.
Talking about common nicknames for Elias and company, Eli sometimes comes up. Despite the similarity, Eli is a separate name. It comes from a Hebrew name meaning ascenscion.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME ELIAS?
This name is popular across much of Euorpe. Swedish parents love it, as do the Dutch. You’ll hear it on young chidren in London and Rome, Montreal and Montevideo.
It’s effortlessly international, likely one of the reasons it has powered its way up the US popularity charts.
Another factor? Elias lands somewhere between old-school throwback Tobias and sleek, contemporary Brooks.
While the name has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since data was first compiled for 1880, it has skyrocketed in use during the 21st century.
It entered the US Top 100 in 2016; reached #48 in 2021, and as of 2025, stands at a sky-high #13.
In fact, the entire family of names, as well as unrelated, but similar names starting with Eli- have fared well. Eliana now ranks in the girls’ Top Ten. On the boys’ side, Eli, Eliam, Elian, Elio, and Eliel all chart in the Top 1000, too, and most of those are gaining in use.
GLOBAL CITIZEN
When it comes to 21st century baby names, some of the most successful have truly ancient roots, combined with a global profile.
Elias is at home in nearly any century, across most of the world. It’s a powerful combination, one that has taken this name near the top of the popularity charts.
What do you think of the baby name Elias?
