Elias
The New Testament form of Elijah, a Hebrew prophet, from Ancient Greek Ἠλίας (Ēlías).
Every Elias since 1880 — 129,502 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elias
Elias is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #13 in 2025 with 8,837 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 129,502 American babies have been named Elias. Its peak came in 2025, when 8,845 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Elias stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elias year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #11,211 | 8,837 | #13 |
| 2024 | 7 | #12,536 | 7,684 | #25 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12,512 | 7,006 | #36 |
| 2022 | 13 | #8,165 | 6,730 | #43 |
| 2021 | 11 | #9,146 | 6,355 | #48 |
| 2020 | 7 | #12,517 | 5,993 | #54 |
| 2019 | 7 | #12,835 | 5,722 | #60 |
| 2018 | 9 | #10,810 | 5,351 | #67 |
| 2017 | — | — | 4,931 | #78 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,865 | 4,486 | #93 |
| 2015 | 10 | #10,347 | 4,101 | #100 |
| 2014 | 5 | #17,309 | 3,784 | #103 |
| 2013 | — | — | 3,498 | #113 |
| 2012 | 6 | #15,514 | 3,229 | #115 |
| 2011 | — | — | 2,993 | #139 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,542 | 2,830 | #141 |
| 2009 | — | — | 2,486 | #158 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,280 | 2,522 | #157 |
| 2007 | 5 | #18,457 | 2,362 | #174 |
| 2006 | — | — | 2,163 | #186 |
| 2005 | 5 | #17,266 | 2,116 | #188 |
| 2004 | 6 | #14,682 | 1,760 | #207 |
| 2003 | 7 | #12,805 | 1,712 | #210 |
| 2002 | — | — | 1,575 | #218 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,327 | 1,518 | #228 |
| 2000 | 5 | #15,773 | 1,403 | #242 |
| 1995 | 5 | #14,100 | 889 | #298 |
| 1990 | — | — | 666 | #361 |
| 1985 | — | — | 428 | #412 |
| 1980 | — | — | 385 | #422 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,484 | 308 | #455 |
| 1970 | — | — | 226 | #538 |
| 1965 | — | — | 169 | #586 |
| 1960 | — | — | 171 | #602 |
| 1955 | — | — | 144 | #620 |
| 1950 | — | — | 163 | #529 |
| 1945 | — | — | 130 | #524 |
| 1940 | — | — | 103 | #582 |
| 1935 | — | — | 130 | #503 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,744 | 172 | #453 |
| 1925 | — | — | 193 | #428 |
| 1920 | — | — | 168 | #470 |
| 1915 | — | — | 114 | #520 |
| 1910 | — | — | 34 | #474 |
| 1905 | — | — | 29 | #395 |
| 1900 | — | — | 23 | #480 |
| 1895 | — | — | 29 | #341 |
| 1890 | — | — | 36 | #289 |
| 1885 | — | — | 60 | #204 |
| 1880 | — | — | 65 | #189 |
Famous people named Elias
- Elias Canetti Writer · 1905–1994
- Elias Lönnrot Physician · 1802–1884
- Elias James Corey Chemist · b. 1928
- Elias Magnus Fries Biologist · 1794–1878
- Elias Howe Inventor · 1819–1867
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Elias mean?
The New Testament form of Elijah, a Hebrew prophet, from Ancient Greek Ἠλίας (Ēlías).
How popular is the name Elias in 2025?
Elias ranked #13 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8,837 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elias?
129,502 babies have been named Elias in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elias most popular?
Elias peaked in 2025, when 8,845 newborns received the name.
Is Elias a boy or girl name?
Elias is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Elias rising or falling?
Elias is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Elias?
Well-known people named Elias include Elias Canetti (writer), Elias Lönnrot (physician), Elias James Corey (chemist).