Eilis

Meaning & origin

Eilis is the Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth, a name with deep biblical roots but a distinct Hibernian character. In the United States, it first appeared in records in 1990 and reached its peak rank of 1,826 in 2018, a year when approximately 1 in 267,878 girls were given the name. Since 2017 the name has been in decline, though it remains a recognizable choice for families seeking an Irish variant. The name's profile was heightened by the 2015 film 'Brooklyn,' whose protagonist Eilis Lacey made the spelling familiar to a wider audience. Despite its falling trajectory, Eilis retains a literary and cultural resonance that sets it apart from more common English forms.

Eilis is the Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth, which itself derives from the Hebrew Elisheva, meaning 'God is my oath' or 'God is abundance.' In Irish, the spelling and pronunciation shifted to Eilis (pronounced 'EYE-lish'), and the name has been used in Ireland for centuries, though it remains less common than its English counterpart. The form saw a modest revival in the 2010s, influenced by the 2009 novel and 2015 film 'Brooklyn,' whose protagonist bears the name.