Elisha Unisex

Popularity: #631 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ih-LIE-shuh /ɪˈlaɪʃə/

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: God is salvation; English: variant of Elisha

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Elisha has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the name אֱלִישָׁע (Elisha), which means "God is salvation" or "My God is salvation." This name is a compound of the elements 'El,' meaning "God," and 'yasha,' meaning "to save" or "to deliver." The name appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Old Testament, where Elisha is a significant prophet and the successor of Elijah, active during the 9th century BCE. His story is primarily recounted in the Second Book of Kings, where he performs various miracles and serves as a key figure in the prophetic tradition of ancient Israel.

Historically, the name Elisha has been borne by various notable figures, particularly in biblical contexts. The prophet Elisha, who is often associated with themes of divine intervention and healing, is a central character in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.

His life and deeds have been influential in shaping religious narratives and teachings. The name has also appeared in various translations of the Bible, including the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and the King James Version, which helped to disseminate its significance across different cultures and languages.

Culturally, Elisha has resonated through centuries as a symbol of faith and divine support. The name has been used in various literary and artistic works, often evoking themes of redemption and divine assistance.

In some traditions, diminutive forms such as Eli or Elie have emerged, reflecting the name's enduring appeal. The legacy of Elisha continues to be felt in religious contexts, where it embodies the hope and assurance of salvation, reinforcing its importance in the historical and cultural landscape.

Famous people named Elisha

In this section, you will find notable people named Elisha. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Elisha who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Elisha who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Elisha Cuthbert is an actress best known for 24, The Girl Next Door, and Happy Endings.

Elisha Gray was an inventor best known for co-founding the Gray Electric Company and his involvement in the invention of the telephone.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Elisha, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ElijahIsaiahMicahJosiahZachariahMalachi

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Elisha. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

ElianElianahEliasEliezerElonEliElihu

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Elisha was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Elisha has ranked as high as #618 nationally, which occurred in 1980, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Georgia.

In the past 5 years the name Elisha has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Elisha is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Elisha was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Elisha.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 381 322 59
2024 382 287 95
2023 360 283 77
2022 384 302 82
2021 347 266 81
2020 359 271 88
2019 437 319 118
2018 431 270 161
2017 424 286 138
2016 427 304 123
2015 425 305 120
2014 465 327 138
2013 508 348 160
2012 457 317 140
2011 450 311 139
2010 502 364 138
2009 489 342 147
2008 539 392 147
2007 553 365 188
2006 543 376 167
2005 536 377 159
2004 560 359 201
2003 506 337 169
2002 502 336 166
2001 474 300 174
2000 467 277 190
1999 473 284 189
1998 473 254 219
1997 433 234 199
1996 454 230 224
1995 425 204 221
1994 425 178 247
1993 402 142 260
1992 433 137 296
1991 436 139 297
1990 466 118 348
1989 461 103 358
1988 492 90 402
1987 538 88 450
1986 508 80 428
1985 582 101 481
1984 583 115 468
1983 619 94 525
1982 648 108 540
1981 668 103 565
1980 736 112 624
1979 639 93 546
1978 531 87 444
1977 503 82 421
1976 364 64 300
1975 299 69 230
1974 232 48 184
1973 195 37 158
1972 226 45 181
1971 188 37 151
1970 166 39 127
1969 120 25 95
1968 92 22 70
1967 90 14 76
1966 78 24 54
1965 102 30 72
1964 88 31 57
1963 84 30 54
1962 74 34 40
1961 56 23 33
1960 78 29 49
1959 59 34 25
1958 40 32 8
1957 50 36 14
1956 46 36 10
1955 44 44 0
1954 49 44 5
1953 48 40 8
1952 46 41 5
1951 52 45 7
1950 49 49 0
1949 61 52 9
1948 52 43 9
1947 53 46 7
1946 45 45 0
1945 46 46 0
1944 45 45 0
1943 48 48 0
1942 44 44 0
1941 47 47 0
1940 62 56 6
1939 47 47 0
1938 41 41 0
1937 48 48 0
1936 48 48 0
1935 53 53 0
1934 60 60 0
1933 45 45 0
1932 62 62 0
1931 63 63 0
1930 71 71 0
1929 60 60 0
1928 67 67 0
1927 80 80 0
1926 72 72 0
1925 74 74 0
1924 72 72 0
1923 89 89 0
1922 96 96 0
1921 99 99 0
1920 71 71 0
1919 79 79 0
1918 69 69 0
1917 79 79 0
1916 81 81 0
1915 58 58 0
1914 47 42 5
1913 45 45 0
1912 44 44 0
1911 27 27 0
1910 25 25 0
1909 24 24 0
1908 11 11 0
1907 21 21 0
1906 15 15 0
1905 16 16 0
1904 25 25 0
1903 25 25 0
1902 23 23 0
1901 19 19 0
1900 37 37 0
1899 26 26 0
1898 32 32 0
1897 18 18 0
1896 23 23 0
1895 33 33 0
1894 27 27 0
1893 17 17 0
1892 28 28 0
1891 28 28 0
1890 24 24 0
1889 29 29 0
1888 37 37 0
1887 20 20 0
1886 35 35 0
1885 38 38 0
1884 39 39 0
1883 42 42 0
1882 35 35 0
1881 29 29 0
1880 32 32 0

Top States for Elisha (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
FL 30
10%
TX 29
10%
CA 27
9%
NY 26
9%
NC 18
6%
NJ 15
5%
GA 14
5%
MI 13
5%
PA 10
3%
MN 9
3%
VA 9
3%
IN 9
3%
MO 8
3%
IL 8
3%
OH 8
3%
KY 8
3%
MD 7
2%
WA 6
2%
AL 6
2%
AZ 6
2%
SC 5
2%
TN 5
2%
OK 5
2%
OR 5
2%