Elsy
Elsy was the 2341st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 78 babies. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked 1563rd with 135 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,273 places. More babies were named Elsy in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Elsie) pet form of Elizabeth (via Elspeth) · Scottish, Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #2,341 girls, down 778 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 78girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2020135 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,832babies recorded
What does the name Elsy mean?
Elsy is a spelling of Elsie, pronounced the same way, so it shares Elsie's meaning and origin.
Elsie is a Scottish pet form of Elspeth, the Scottish form of Elizabeth; Wikipedia gives this origin, and Wiktionary adds that it also served for Alison and Alice. Elizabeth comes from Hebrew Elisheva, which DMNES glosses 'my God is an oath'. Wikipedia notes that Elsie has been used as an independent name since the 1800s and has recently become popular again.
Elspeth (Scots, “Elizabeth”)אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Biblical Hebrew, “Elisheva, my God is an oath”)
How sure is this? Probable. Usually a pet form of Elizabeth (via Elspeth); sometimes of Alice or Alison.
Related names: Elspeth, Elizabeth, Elsa, Elise, Alison.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Elsie', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Elsie (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Elizabeth', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
Elsy popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,341 | 78 |
| 2020 | #1,563 | 135 |
| 2010 | #3,980 | 38 |
| 2000 | #4,102 | 30 |
| 1990 | #5,117 | 18 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | #8,353 | 5 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Elsy, counting every spelling?
Elsy is a spelling of Elsie, a name family that ranked #142 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,341 for Elsy on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,378 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elsie | 2,236 | #123 | 8,811 |
| Elsy | 78 | #2,341 | 494 |
| Elsi | 17 | #6,619 | 102 |
| Ellsie | 15 | #7,231 | 72 |
| Elzie | 15 | #7,236 | 57 |
| Elsey | 11 | #9,030 | 51 |
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 Elsy?
78 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Elsy (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Elsy 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 108 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Elsy.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Elsy?
About 1,800 people born in the US named Elsy are alive today, with a median age of 14; half are between 5 and 25. That makes Elsy 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.
Elsy by state
How common Elsy was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in California (2.7×), Texas (1.6×). 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 Elsy: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Elsy, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Elsy
What does Elsy mean?
Elsy is a spelling of Elsie, which means “pet form of Elizabeth (via Elspeth)” (Scottish, Hebrew origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Elsy?
Elsy was the 2341st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 78 babies. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked 1563rd with 135 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,273 places. More babies were named Elsy in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Elsy a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Elsy in the US.
Where is Elsy most popular?
In 2021–2025, Elsy was most common in Nevada (0.24 per 1,000 girls), followed by California and Kansas.