A 1890s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Elba since 1888
Babies named Elba per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1956, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Elba's real moment was 1891.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 | 0 |
| 1890s | 74 | 5 |
| 1900s | 91 | 5 |
| 1910s | 217 | 78 |
| 1920s | 233 | 111 |
| 1930s | 190 | 69 |
| 1940s | 207 | 21 |
| 1950s | 516 | 8 |
| 1960s | 533 | 10 |
| 1970s | 421 | 6 |
| 1980s | 334 | 0 |
| 1990s | 264 | 0 |
| 2000s | 157 | 0 |
| 2010s | 88 | 0 |
| 2020s | 57 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Elba is a rare place-name taken from the Italian island that served as Napoleon's first exile. It first appeared on the U.S. name charts in 1888 and saw its highest recorded use the following year in 1891. After falling out of regular use for decades, Elba has been gradually rising in popularity since 2020, suggesting a modest revival of this distinctive and geographically evocative name. Its one-in-200,908 occurrence in 2025 places it far from common territory, but for parents seeking something uncommon with a European flair, Elba offers a concise, melodic choice.
Elba is primarily a place name, originating from the Italian island of Elba in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The island's name is believed to derive from an ancient Ligurian word meaning 'water' or 'island of water.' As a given name, Elba emerged in the late 19th century, possibly inspired by the island or as a variant of other names like Elva or Elma. Its use was moderately popular in the United States in the 1890s but declined afterward.
“Elba” around the world
Where Elba lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: El, Ellie
Sibling names for Elba
Names that share Elba's style, for a brother or sister.
