Given name & surname
Elsa
“God is my oath”·“My God is bountiful”
In German use, Elsa is a diminutive of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” In German use, Elsa is a short form of Elizabeth. “God is my oath” is the etymological interpretation given for Elisabeth, the same name in a different spelling. “My God is bountiful” is another recorded interpretation, but the two should be kept distinct rather than blended into one literal translation.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Elsa is a diminutive of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” In German use, Elsa is a short form of Elizabeth. “God is my oath” is the etymological interpretation given for Elisabeth, the same name in a different spelling. “My God is bountiful” is another recorded interpretation, but the two should be kept distinct rather than blended into one literal translation.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Elsa is a short form of Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the usual English spelling of Elisabeth. The related biblical forms connect it with the Hebrew name Elisheba, borne by Aaron’s wife.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German usage, Elsa is a diminutive of Elisabeth. In Finnish usage, Elsa is a short form of Elisabet. In German use, Elsa is a short form of Elizabeth. The shared background comes through Elizabeth: English generally uses Elizabeth with a z, where many European languages retain Elisabeth with an s. Elisabeth is connected with Elisheba; its final element may have been reshaped through association with Hebrew shabbath, “sabbath.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
The name’s historical associations include the English-born film actress Elsa Lanchester.
Elsa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 30,731
- 21 boys · 30,710 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 1,140 babies
- 2025
- 216
- #1,104 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 216 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,104 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 30.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,140 in 2014. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (33). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 50,134 as a first name in 2020; 103 as a surname in 2000.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Elsa’s family of names
Elsa is a short form of Elizabeth. In German usage, Elsa shares a linguistic root with the Danish form Else. In German usage, Elsa has a related form in Elisabeth.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Elsa has relatives in 7 languages.
8 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Elsa
- Elsa MoranteItalian novelist (1912–1985)
- Elsa LanchesterBritish-American actress (1902–1986)
- Elsa PatakySpanish model and actressborn 1976
- Elsa TrioletRussian-French writer (1896–1970)
- Elsa MartinelliItalian fashion model and actress (1935-2017)
- Elsa SchiaparelliItalian fashion designer and couturier (1890–1973)
- Elsa HoskSwedish fashion modelborn 1988
- Viveca LindforsSwedish actress (1920–1995)
- Elsa BeskowSwedish artist (1874-1953)
Characters named Elsa: Elsa (Disney's Frozen franchise), Elsa Bloodstone (Marvel Comics).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Elsa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“God is with us” · “one who is greatly loved”
>99% girls
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“drunkard”
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“bee”
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Rebeca
Rebeca is a feminine given name. It is used in Spanish and Portuguese.
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“bee”
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>99% girls