Girl nameCurrently #155 in the USRising
Elsie
EL-see//ˈɛlsi//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19185 lettersStarts with E
Meaning & origin
God is my oath (dim. of Elspeth/Elizabeth)
Elsie began as a Scottish diminutive of Elspeth, itself a form of Elizabeth, and shares that name's Hebrew meaning of 'God is my oath'. A late-Victorian favorite, it has returned to strong popularity in recent years as a sweet, vintage-cottage name.
Elsie's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Elsie |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 307 |
| 1881 | 344 |
| 1882 | 448 |
| 1883 | 479 |
| 1884 | 549 |
| 1885 | 690 |
| 1886 | 704 |
| 1887 | 833 |
| 1888 | 1,119 |
| 1889 | 1,204 |
| 1890 | 1,228 |
| 1891 | 1,311 |
| 1892 | 1,498 |
| 1893 | 1,596 |
| 1894 | 1,725 |
| 1895 | 1,804 |
| 1896 | 1,884 |
| 1897 | 1,770 |
| 1898 | 1,924 |
| 1899 | 1,716 |
| 1900 | 2,060 |
| 1901 | 1,757 |
| 1902 | 1,734 |
| 1903 | 1,732 |
| 1904 | 1,731 |
| 1905 | 1,811 |
| 1906 | 1,782 |
| 1907 | 1,882 |
| 1908 | 1,990 |
| 1909 | 2,076 |
| 1910 | 2,157 |
| 1911 | 2,239 |
| 1912 | 2,906 |
| 1913 | 3,225 |
| 1914 | 3,710 |
| 1915 | 4,986 |
| 1916 | 5,050 |
| 1917 | 4,961 |
| 1918 | 5,221 |
| 1919 | 5,016 |
| 1920 | 5,015 |
| 1921 | 4,905 |
| 1922 | 4,633 |
| 1923 | 4,566 |
| 1924 | 4,519 |
| 1925 | 4,180 |
| 1926 | 3,930 |
| 1927 | 3,839 |
| 1928 | 3,487 |
| 1929 | 3,254 |
| 1930 | 2,993 |
| 1931 | 2,828 |
| 1932 | 2,569 |
| 1933 | 2,403 |
| 1934 | 2,289 |
| 1935 | 2,088 |
| 1936 | 1,886 |
| 1937 | 1,952 |
| 1938 | 1,792 |
| 1939 | 1,713 |
| 1940 | 1,475 |
| 1941 | 1,424 |
| 1942 | 1,408 |
| 1943 | 1,257 |
| 1944 | 1,104 |
| 1945 | 977 |
| 1946 | 1,050 |
| 1947 | 953 |
| 1948 | 903 |
| 1949 | 734 |
| 1950 | 689 |
| 1951 | 637 |
| 1952 | 580 |
| 1953 | 593 |
| 1954 | 549 |
| 1955 | 526 |
| 1956 | 477 |
| 1957 | 499 |
| 1958 | 416 |
| 1959 | 406 |
| 1960 | 348 |
| 1961 | 346 |
| 1962 | 309 |
| 1963 | 301 |
| 1964 | 248 |
| 1965 | 253 |
| 1966 | 228 |
| 1967 | 199 |
| 1968 | 165 |
| 1969 | 166 |
| 1970 | 159 |
| 1971 | 141 |
| 1972 | 130 |
| 1973 | 134 |
| 1974 | 144 |
| 1975 | 142 |
| 1976 | 113 |
| 1977 | 108 |
| 1978 | 97 |
| 1979 | 128 |
| 1980 | 121 |
| 1981 | 113 |
| 1982 | 100 |
| 1983 | 103 |
| 1984 | 108 |
| 1985 | 130 |
| 1986 | 116 |
| 1987 | 122 |
| 1988 | 131 |
| 1989 | 129 |
| 1990 | 144 |
| 1991 | 134 |
| 1992 | 152 |
| 1993 | 144 |
| 1994 | 149 |
| 1995 | 169 |
| 1996 | 128 |
| 1997 | 138 |
| 1998 | 151 |
| 1999 | 147 |
| 2000 | 147 |
| 2001 | 152 |
| 2002 | 176 |
| 2003 | 182 |
| 2004 | 210 |
| 2005 | 271 |
| 2006 | 308 |
| 2007 | 317 |
| 2008 | 405 |
| 2009 | 426 |
| 2010 | 462 |
| 2011 | 621 |
| 2012 | 788 |
| 2013 | 857 |
| 2014 | 1,005 |
| 2015 | 848 |
| 2016 | 980 |
| 2017 | 1,092 |
| 2018 | 1,192 |
| 2019 | 1,288 |
| 2020 | 1,269 |
| 2021 | 1,345 |
| 2022 | 1,562 |
| 2023 | 1,756 |
| 2024 | 1,901 |
Elsie through the decades
- Elsie peaked in 1918, when 5,221 babies were named Elsie in the US.
- The 1920s were Elsie's strongest decade, averaging 4,233 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Elsie has risen 142% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Elsie currently ranks #155 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Elsie
Variants & spellings
Elspeth