Declining since 2013, #10,695 for boys today.
Popularity of Eligh since 1906
Babies named Eligh per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2014, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Eligh's real moment was 1906.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 6 |
| 1910s | 58 |
| 1920s | 87 |
| 1930s | 60 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 12 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 13 |
| 2000s | 228 |
| 2010s | 458 |
| 2020s | 92 |
Meaning & origin
Eligh is an exceptionally rare name in the United States, first recorded in 1906, which also remains its highest rank to date. The name has never broken into widespread use; by 2025 it ranked 10,695th, with only 1 in every 284,679 boys receiving the name. Its trajectory has been falling since 2013, reflecting a continued decline in interest. The spelling appears to be a modern respelling of Elijah or Eli, possibly influenced by surnames. No top states are associated with Eligh, consistent with its extreme rarity. For parents seeking a distinctive but phonetically familiar name with biblical echoes, Eligh offers a rare alternative to more common Elijah variants.
Eligh appears to be a modern invented spelling, likely influenced by the biblical name Elijah but adapted with a phonetic or stylized ending. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1906 but remained extremely rare, with no clear historical or cultural tradition. The name may also be a respelling of the surname Eligh, which itself is a variant of Ely or Eli.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Eli, Lee
Sibling names for Eligh
Names that share Eligh's style, for a brother or sister.
