Elsa Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EL-sah /ˈɛl.sə/
Origin: Hebrew; German; Scandinavian
Meaning: Hebrew: God is my oath; German: noble; Scandinavian: pledged to God
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Elsa has its roots in the Hebrew name Elisheba, which means "God is my oath." This name was adapted into Greek as Elisabet, which later evolved into the Latin form Elizabeth. The name then made its way into various languages, including Old French, where it became Elise, and ultimately into English as Elsa.
The transition into English occurred during the Middle Ages, influenced by the popularity of the name Elizabeth in various forms across Europe. Historically, the name Elsa has been associated with several notable figures.
One of the most significant is Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, who lived in the 13th century and was known for her charitable works. The name gained further prominence through literary works, such as the character Elsa in the 19th-century opera "Lohengrin" by Richard Wagner, which contributed to its cultural resonance in the arts.
Additionally, the name appears in various translations of the Bible, particularly in the context of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, which has further solidified its historical significance. Culturally, the name Elsa has been embraced in various traditions and has often been linked to themes of loyalty and faithfulness, reflecting its etymological roots.
The diminutive form, Elsie, has also been used historically, particularly in Scottish contexts, where it became a popular name in its own right. The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its rich historical background and the positive associations it carries across different cultures and eras.
Famous people named Elsa
In this section, you will find notable people named Elsa. 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 Elsa who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Elsa 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.
Elsa Lanchester was an actress best known for Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein, and Witness for the Prosecution.
Elsa Pataky is an actress and model best known for Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, and Thor.
Elsa Schiaparelli was a fashion designer best known for her surrealist designs, the lobster dress, and the tear dress.
Elsa Hosk is a model and actress best known for her work with Victoria's Secret, and her appearances in the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Elsa Raven was an actress best known for her roles in Back to the Future, The Twilight Zone, and The Amityville Horror.
Fictional characters named Elsa
The following list of fictional characters named Elsa is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Elsa is a fictional character from the animated film Frozen. She is the Snow Queen of Arendelle, known for her magical ability to create ice and snow.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Elsa, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Elsa. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Elsa was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Elsa has ranked as high as #553 nationally, which occurred in 2014, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Minnesota.
In the past 5 years the name Elsa has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Elsa 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 Elsa was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Elsa (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 45 | |
| TX | 35 | |
| FL | 21 | |
| NY | 20 | |
| NJ | 11 | |
| IL | 10 | |
| WA | 9 | |
| OH | 8 | |
| MD | 7 | |
| AZ | 7 | |
| MA | 7 | |
| VA | 7 | |
| MN | 6 | |
| WI | 6 | |
| GA | 6 |
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 Elsa.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 280 |
| 2023 | 246 |
| 2022 | 264 |
| 2021 | 275 |
| 2020 | 284 |
| 2019 | 350 |
| 2018 | 305 |
| 2017 | 425 |
| 2016 | 477 |
| 2015 | 658 |
| 2014 | 1,140 |
| 2013 | 566 |
| 2012 | 542 |
| 2011 | 499 |
| 2010 | 487 |
| 2009 | 426 |
| 2008 | 413 |
| 2007 | 393 |
| 2006 | 350 |
| 2005 | 350 |
| 2004 | 308 |
| 2003 | 349 |
| 2002 | 283 |
| 2001 | 247 |
| 2000 | 240 |
| 1999 | 236 |
| 1998 | 200 |
| 1997 | 196 |
| 1996 | 228 |
| 1995 | 222 |
| 1994 | 227 |
| 1993 | 197 |
| 1992 | 229 |
| 1991 | 220 |
| 1990 | 242 |
| 1989 | 209 |
| 1988 | 170 |
| 1987 | 171 |
| 1986 | 199 |
| 1985 | 192 |
| 1984 | 216 |
| 1983 | 235 |
| 1982 | 206 |
| 1981 | 240 |
| 1980 | 244 |
| 1979 | 210 |
| 1978 | 225 |
| 1977 | 245 |
| 1976 | 269 |
| 1975 | 255 |
| 1974 | 254 |
| 1973 | 253 |
| 1972 | 263 |
| 1971 | 279 |
| 1970 | 298 |
| 1969 | 280 |
| 1968 | 243 |
| 1967 | 246 |
| 1966 | 295 |
| 1965 | 274 |
| 1964 | 282 |
| 1963 | 286 |
| 1962 | 276 |
| 1961 | 285 |
| 1960 | 279 |
| 1959 | 280 |
| 1958 | 287 |
| 1957 | 340 |
| 1956 | 309 |
| 1955 | 289 |
| 1954 | 248 |
| 1953 | 207 |
| 1952 | 216 |
| 1951 | 178 |
| 1950 | 154 |
| 1949 | 137 |
| 1948 | 138 |
| 1947 | 134 |
| 1946 | 113 |
| 1945 | 126 |
| 1944 | 119 |
| 1943 | 139 |
| 1942 | 136 |
| 1941 | 142 |
| 1940 | 122 |
| 1939 | 151 |
| 1938 | 125 |
| 1937 | 129 |
| 1936 | 130 |
| 1935 | 113 |
| 1934 | 110 |
| 1933 | 124 |
| 1932 | 130 |
| 1931 | 140 |
| 1930 | 137 |
| 1929 | 128 |
| 1928 | 158 |
| 1927 | 138 |
| 1926 | 136 |
| 1925 | 141 |
| 1924 | 140 |
| 1923 | 138 |
| 1922 | 149 |
| 1921 | 154 |
| 1920 | 184 |
| 1919 | 169 |
| 1918 | 173 |
| 1917 | 198 |
| 1916 | 201 |
| 1915 | 237 |
| 1914 | 166 |
| 1913 | 131 |
| 1912 | 120 |
| 1911 | 103 |
| 1910 | 80 |
| 1909 | 77 |
| 1908 | 93 |
| 1907 | 86 |
| 1906 | 84 |
| 1905 | 75 |
| 1904 | 75 |
| 1903 | 87 |
| 1902 | 91 |
| 1901 | 94 |
| 1900 | 102 |
| 1899 | 90 |
| 1898 | 111 |
| 1897 | 128 |
| 1896 | 129 |
| 1895 | 160 |
| 1894 | 137 |
| 1893 | 104 |
| 1892 | 142 |
| 1891 | 102 |
| 1890 | 106 |
| 1889 | 104 |
| 1888 | 87 |
| 1887 | 61 |
| 1886 | 59 |
| 1885 | 66 |
| 1884 | 51 |
| 1883 | 35 |
| 1882 | 29 |
| 1881 | 25 |
| 1880 | 20 |