Elias
Elias Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
ih-LY-as
Meaning of Elias: Elias is the Greek and Latin transliteration of the Hebrew name Eliyyahu, composed of eli (my God) and yahu, a shortened form of Yahweh. The prophet Elijah, one of the most prominent figures in the Hebrew Bible, bore the original form.
The Greek New Testament rendered the name as Elias, and this Hellenized form spread through the early Christian church into Western Europe via the Latin Vulgate. Elias became the dominant form in German-speaking, Scandinavian, and Iberian countries, while the English-speaking world generally preferred Elijah or Ellis.
In Sweden and Finland, Elias has ranked in the top 10 boys’ names for much of the 21st century. etymology records shows Elias active across 25+ national naming traditions, making it one of the most internationally distributed biblical names in modern use.
What Does Elias Mean? Origin & Etymology
In the United States, Elias entered the top 100 in 2007 and accelerated through the top 50 in the 2010s. SSA records records 7,653 births at rank #25 in 2024, matching its peak year.
Elias attracts parents who want the same biblical root as Elijah with a more international or continental European register.
The key finding here is that Elias and Elijah are simultaneously in the US top 25, an unusual case of 2 phonetically similar biblical variants sharing peak-popularity status.
The combined cohort accounted for over 30,000 US male births in 2024, placing the name family among the 5 most-registered biblical name groups.
Variant forms include Elie (French), Elia (Italian), and Ilyas (Arabic). In Scandinavia, Elias carries no religious overtones in modern usage and is treated as a secular classic. SSA records show Elias in the US top 30 from 2017 onward, confirming stable top-tier placement.
How Popular Is Elias?
Numerology & Symbolism of Elias
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Elias – Similar Names & Alternatives
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Frequently Asked Questions about Elias
What does Elias mean?
What is the origin of Elias?
Elias is the Greek New Testament form of Elijah, used in Catholic, Orthodox, and Lutheran traditions. It was common in Hispanic communities in the US before entering the mainstream top 25 in 2020.
How popular is Elias in the US?
Elias ranks 25 for boys in the US as of 2024, per SSA data. It entered the top 50 in 2012 and the top 25 in 2020. Elias ranks in the top 10 in Sweden and Norway.
What are variants of Elias?
Is Elias more popular for girls or boys?
Elias is given predominantly to boys. It ranks 25 for boys in the US in 2024 and does not appear in the top 1000 girls’ names.
Elias – Name Variants & Spellings
| Variant | Language |
|---|---|
| Elijah | English/Hebrew |
| Eliyahu | Hebrew |
| Eli | Hebrew short form |
| Elia | Italian/Catalan |
| Ilya | Russian |
| Ellis | Welsh/English |