Rising since 1985, #13 for boys today.
Popularity of Elias since 1880
Babies named Elias per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 450 |
| 1890s | 302 |
| 1900s | 254 |
| 1910s | 1,144 |
| 1920s | 1,766 |
| 1930s | 1,355 |
| 1940s | 1,227 |
| 1950s | 1,547 |
| 1960s | 1,774 |
| 1970s | 2,962 |
| 1980s | 4,479 |
| 1990s | 8,856 |
| 2000s | 19,617 |
| 2010s | 40,925 |
| 2020s | 42,605 |
Meaning & origin
Elias has quietly become one of America's favorite boys' names. Rising steadily since 1985, it reached No. 13 in 2025, its highest rank in nearly a century and a half of records, with roughly one in every 193 boys receiving it.
Its appeal is structural. As the Greek form of Elijah, it shares that name's biblical gravity while sounding fresher to many ears, and it is simultaneously a mainstream choice in German and Scandinavian countries, a familiar form (Ilyas) across the Muslim world, and a natural fit in Spanish-speaking families as Elías. Few names travel so well, which may explain a top-state map, Alaska, Wyoming, New Mexico, that belongs to no single region.
With the built-in nickname Eli and stylistic kinship to Ezra, Silas, and Tobias, Elias reads as a name still gathering momentum rather than one at the end of its run.
Elias is the form the prophet Elijah's name took in Greek, Elias in the Septuagint and New Testament, from Hebrew Eliyyahu, 'my God is Yahweh.' In medieval England, Elias (often shortened to Elis) was the everyday spoken form of the prophet's name, which is why English surnames like Ellis descend from it. It remains the standard form of Elijah in German, Scandinavian, and several other European languages, and the related Ilyas appears throughout the Muslim world. American records carry Elias back to 1880, but its modern momentum is recent: rising since 1985 in step with Elijah's boom, it reached No. 13 in 2025, its highest rank on record.
Read more: Elias on Wikipedia
Where Elias is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Elias” around the world
Where Elias lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
480
babies in 2024
Ireland
26
babies in 2025
New Zealand
#49
in 2025
Quebec
#53
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#35
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Eli
Famous people named Elias
- Elias Howe · American inventor who patented an early practical sewing machine
- Elias Canetti · Nobel Prize-winning writer and author of Crowds and Power
Sibling names for Elias
Names that share Elias's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Naomi, Ada, Miriam, Lydia, Eliana, Amira, Layla, Maya, Ariella, Leila, Yasmin, Adria, Alesia, Aliya, Aliyah, Amaia, Amirah, Anika, Anissa, Elida, Elina, Emelie, Kamila, Karolina, Laila, Leena, Leyla, Lilli, Loralei, Melina, Nada, Nadia, Noura, Raina, Sofie, Yamileth, Yasmine, Yohana, Zariya, Aida, Aleya, Alya, Anyssa, Araya, Arwen, Azra, Charis, Daliyah, Emelyn, Emmi, Henna, Kamilla, Karoline, Leen, Marya, Melia, Naila, Nayla, Nelia, Nohemi, Samarah, Sana, Saraya, Shamira, Sidra, Stasia, Taina, Vivianna, Xenia, Yazmine, Zaina, Zaira, Zayda, Aalia, Aalyiah, Adalena, Ala, Aleesia, Alinah, Amera, Amila, Amirrah, Amyrah, Anina, Anneli, Anni, Arelis, Atia, Baya, Betsabe, Delyla, Elea, Eleora, Elexia, Eleyna, Elyanna, Emina, Getsemani, Helina, Jadira, Josefine, Kalisa, Kalysta, Khara, Laylanie, Leina, Leylah, Lilya, Lorelie, Maila, Malissia, Malissie, Meklit, Myria, Nayra, Norita, Ranya, Raphaela, Saloma, Sephora, Sherin, Soila, Tais, Taleen, Tsion, Valeta, Viana, Yahira, Yashira, Yatziry, Yohanna, Zamaria, Adalida, Amilah, Anael, Anahis, Analeya, Anaria, Aneli, Anelia, Anesa, Angelys, Anija, Anorah, Anysa, Arminta, Azarah, Calianna, Darielys, Daryana, Delania, Diala, Eilah, Elania, Elaria, Eleia, Elesia, Eliabeth, Elisheba, Elody, Elorah, Gelila, Ilea, Ilyana, Ionna, Irania, Isella, Israella, Kamilia, Khalyla, Kharis, Laela, Larua, Leenah, Lenea, Leoni, Lilieth, Lulia, Mahelet, Mahlet, Maisa, Melat, Meliana, Mieka, Miia, Milanna, Nadiah, Naomia, Nardos, Omaria, Omelia, Sabrine, Sala, Samyrah, Selam, Soliyana, Soriyah, Sulamita, Tabita, Tashira, Valisa, Viera, Yemariam, Zarin, Zayra, Zerina, Zulay, Antia, Celica, Ilisa, Lavaya, Rubani, Yamel, Aailyah, Afomia, Ahnika, Alaria, Aleayah, Alliya, Amaliya, Amaly, Ambriella, Anahla, Anessia, Annahi, Annalyce, Annikah, Arijana, Avalin, Bemnet, Benni, Caralina, Eirene, Elide, Elieth, Ellicia, Eloa, Emera, Enisa, Eretria, Gabi, Haniah, Irelia, Janah, Julya, Kassiani, Kelita, Kiira, Leily, Lilliona, Linah, Luzia, Maraki, Mariamawit, Marsela, Maryela, Neima, Pascha, Rosaleah, Saphia, Sarrinah, Silena, Sira, Solyana, Suheily, Symia, Tamelia, Tasmia, Tecia, Velina, Waniya, Yameli, Yasmyn, Yazleen, Yazmina, Yianna, Yomaris, Yostina, Zaharah, Zarahi
Brothers: Ezra, Silas, Levi, Tobias, Mathias, Amir, Gabriel, Josiah, Miles, Myles, Roman, Rowan, Adriel, Raphael, Amias, Arian, Aziel, Gael, Immanuel, Jonatan, Malakai, Sami, Abriel, Athan, Bastian, Esai, Idris, Isaak, Jona, Mattias, Micha, Mikal, Mikeal, Neftali, Raziel, Abdias, Anias, Charbel, Deen, Elige, Ellias, Elyon, Esgar, Ilias, Isak, Josafat, Jossue, Josua, Kidus, Markos, Mikkel, Mizael, Nataniel, Natnael, Samy, Yohannes, Yona, Yonas, Alazar, Amanuel, Ashur, Ayham, Dagmawi, Dawit, Demetrie, Elion, Emmaus, Eyob, Eyoel, Isais, Kirubel, Leevi, Leul, Manases, Mathius, Matteus, Oseias, Tabias, Yacob, Ahlias, Aimen, Aliyas, Alyus, Amair, Amyas, Andros, Azarian, Barkot, Edrei, Elius, Eyoab, Ismar, Izaias, Javanni, Juriel, Kebron, Khayir, Khoury, Laden, Mikias, Naol, Nicolis, Nikolaj, Nolawi, Sadrac, Sharbel, Surafel, Timo, Zoraiz
Names like Elias
Names whose popularity has moved with Elias's over the last 50 years.
