Given name & surname · also American
Elek
“resembling a star”
Elek is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “resembling a star.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One American interpretation is “resembling a star.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with American and Hungarian naming traditions.
How it developed
Elek is used as a form of Alexander.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1996. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Elek through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 234
- 234 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2004
- 14 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #11,042 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −9%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 11,042 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 14 in 2004. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 256 as a first name in 2020; 480 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Elek’s family of names
Elek is a form of Alexander. In Hungarian usage, Elek has a conventional equivalent in the German form Alexis. In Hungarian usage, Elek has a conventional equivalent in the Portuguese form Aleixo.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Elek has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Hungarian roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Elek
- Elek BenedekHungarian writer (1859–1929)
- Elek BacsikHungarian-American jazz guitarist and violinist; cousin of guitarist Django Reinhardt (1926-1993)
- Elek KöblösHungarian-Romanian communist activist and political leader1887–1938
- Elek Fényesstatistician, politician (1807–1876)
- Elek NyilasHungarian football playerborn 1969
- Elek ThurzóHungarian noble, palatinus (1490–1543)
- Elek Bolgárjurist, historian, politician, journalist, teacher (1883-1955)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Elek, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“from God's river”
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Darence
“from the Clare river”
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“resembling the green gemstone”
97% boys · 3% girls
Pecos
“from the river; a cowboy”
>99% boys
Benedek
Benedek is a surname from Hungarian. It is used in English, Hungarian, and Romanian.
>99% boys
Elbis
“one who is exalted”
>99% boys
Edge
“a trendsetter”
>99% boys