Elinor
A female given name, variant of Eleanor.
Every Elinor since 1880 — 21,640 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elinor
Elinor is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,502 in 2025 with 142 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 21,640 American babies have been named Elinor. Its peak came in 1920, when 656 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Elinor stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elinor year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 142 | #1,502 |
| 2024 | 146 | #1,492 |
| 2023 | 164 | #1,374 |
| 2022 | 176 | #1,339 |
| 2021 | 172 | #1,313 |
| 2020 | 144 | #1,487 |
| 2019 | 162 | #1,386 |
| 2018 | 159 | #1,406 |
| 2017 | 165 | #1,392 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1,374 |
| 2015 | 165 | #1,410 |
| 2014 | 144 | #1,520 |
| 2013 | 120 | #1,728 |
| 2012 | 134 | #1,614 |
| 2011 | 99 | #1,987 |
| 2010 | 105 | #1,914 |
| 2009 | 96 | #2,107 |
| 2008 | 102 | #2,036 |
| 2007 | 83 | #2,316 |
| 2006 | 75 | #2,466 |
| 2005 | 65 | #2,608 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2,403 |
| 2003 | 64 | #2,532 |
| 2002 | 71 | #2,293 |
| 2001 | 57 | #2,643 |
| 2000 | 49 | #2,914 |
| 1995 | 54 | #2,398 |
| 1990 | 22 | #4,416 |
| 1985 | 17 | #4,509 |
| 1980 | 21 | #3,750 |
| 1975 | 18 | #3,673 |
| 1970 | 26 | #2,725 |
| 1965 | 40 | #1,809 |
| 1960 | 68 | #1,340 |
| 1955 | 89 | #1,071 |
| 1950 | 87 | #973 |
| 1945 | 121 | #676 |
| 1940 | 285 | #407 |
| 1935 | 354 | #336 |
| 1930 | 509 | #296 |
| 1925 | 542 | #287 |
| 1920 | 656 | #257 |
| 1915 | 508 | #259 |
| 1910 | 133 | #344 |
| 1905 | 61 | #430 |
| 1900 | 52 | #470 |
| 1895 | 24 | #628 |
| 1890 | 23 | #552 |
| 1885 | 18 | #508 |
| 1880 | 9 | #596 |
Famous people named Elinor
- Elinor Ostrom Economist · 1933–2012
- Elinor Donahue Actor · b. 1937
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Elinor mean?
A female given name, variant of Eleanor.
How popular is the name Elinor in 2025?
Elinor ranked #1,502 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 142 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elinor?
21,640 babies have been named Elinor in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elinor most popular?
Elinor peaked in 1920, when 656 newborns received the name.
Is Elinor a boy or girl name?
Elinor is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Elinor rising or falling?
Elinor is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Elinor?
Well-known people named Elinor include Elinor Ostrom (economist), Elinor Donahue (actor).