Holding steady.
Popularity of Elta since 1881
Babies named Elta per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1915, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Elta's real moment was 1881.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 77 |
| 1890s | 162 |
| 1900s | 166 |
| 1910s | 319 |
| 1920s | 313 |
| 1930s | 196 |
| 1940s | 131 |
| 1950s | 31 |
| 1960s | 10 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 5 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Elta is a rare feminine name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1881, its peak year according to Social Security data. In that year, it ranked outside the top 1000 but recorded its highest usage, with a handful of births. The name has remained consistently rare ever since, never regaining even that modest level of use. The trajectory is stable at near-zero usage, and no top state ever recorded significant numbers. Elta likely originated as a short form or variant of better-known names like Elton or Eleonora, but its precise derivation remains uncertain. For parents seeking a genuinely uncommon name with a late-19th-century feel, Elta offers a distinctive choice without a strong historical or cultural association.
Elta first appeared in the late 19th century, possibly as a feminine variant of Elton (from Old English 'Ella's town') or as a short form of Eleonora, which itself derives from the Provençal name Aliénor. The name saw brief popularity in the 1880s but has remained rare since, with no clear etymological consensus.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ellie
Sibling names for Elta
Names that share Elta's style, for a brother or sister.
