Elin
Elin was the 3077th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 53 babies. Its best year was 2011, when it ranked 662nd with 428 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,154 places. More babies were named Elin in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ellen) variant of Helen · English, Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #3,077 girls, down 1,496 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 53girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2011428 babies
- Total since 1880
- 5,204babies recorded
What does the name Elin mean?
Elin is a spelling of Ellen, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ellen's meaning and origin.
Ellen is a medieval English form of Helen, from Greek Helenē; DMNES uses it as the headword for the name and notes that the ultimate root is uncertain, with the first record in Homer's Iliad. Wiktionary adds that Ellen was also used as a variant of Eleanor. The popular idea that Helen means 'light' or 'torch' (from Greek hēlios 'sun') is not supported. Ellen was common in the US through the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Ἑλένη (Helenē) (Ancient Greek, “Helen”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. DMNES: ultimate root uncertain.
Other explanations you may read: Helen means 'light' or 'torch'.
Related names: Helen, Eleanor, Elaine, Ella, Nell.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Ellen', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ellen', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Elin popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 152 since 1992.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,077 | 53 |
| 2020 | #1,581 | 133 |
| 2010 | #726 | 386 |
| 2000 | #7,713 | 13 |
| 1990 | #4,415 | 22 |
| 1980 | #4,576 | 16 |
| 1970 | #4,099 | 14 |
| 1960 | #3,760 | 12 |
| 1950 | #2,371 | 18 |
| 1940 | #2,459 | 12 |
| 1930 | #2,907 | 10 |
| 1920 | #4,096 | 7 |
| 1910 | #2,523 | 5 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Elin, counting every spelling?
Elin is a spelling of Ellen, a name family that ranked #763 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #3,077 for Elin on its own. Together these spellings went to 360 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen | 230 | #1,062 | 1,259 |
| Elin | 53 | #3,077 | 420 |
| Eleen | 35 | #4,098 | 198 |
| Eline | 14 | #7,593 | 97 |
| Elen | 8 | #11,208 | 54 |
| Elyn | — | — | 53 |
| Elene | 13 | #8,001 | 50 |
| Ellyn | 7 | #12,278 | 47 |
| Elynn | — | — | 34 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Elin?
53 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Elin (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Elin born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 158 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Elin.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Elin?
About 4,600 people born in the US named Elin are alive today, with a median age of 13; half are between 10 and 16. That makes Elin mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Elin by state
How common Elin was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Minnesota (8.4×). In 42 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Elin: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Elin, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Elin
What does Elin mean?
Elin is a spelling of Ellen, usually explained as “variant of Helen”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Elin?
Elin was the 3077th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 53 babies. Its best year was 2011, when it ranked 662nd with 428 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,154 places. More babies were named Elin in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Elin a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Elin in the US.
Where is Elin most popular?
In 2021–2025, Elin was most common in Minnesota (0.44 per 1,000 girls), followed by California and New York.