Given name & surname · also American, Old English
Elton
“a spontaneous woman”·“from the old town”
Elton is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a spontaneous woman” (American) and “from the old town” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a spontaneous woman” (American) and “from the old town” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Elton through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 21,553
- 21,353 boys · 200 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 408 babies
- 2025
- 60
- #2,313 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +14%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 60 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,313 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 11.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 394 in 1920. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (10). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,295 as a first name in 2020; 2,199 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.
Elton’s family of names
Elton has a related form in Elltan. Elton has a related form in Ellten. Elton has a related form in Elltin.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Elltanvariant
- Eltanvariant
- Elltynvariant
- Eltynvariant
- Elltinvariant
- Eltinvariant
- Elltenvariant
- Eltenvariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Elton
- Elton JohnBritish singer, songwriter and musician (born 1947)
- Elton MayoAustralian psychologist and sociologist1880–1949
- Elton BrandAmerican basketball player (born 1979)
- ÉltonBrazilian association football playerborn 1985
- Elton DeanBritish saxophonist (1945–2006)
- Elton ChigumburaZimbabwean cricketerborn 1986
- Elton AcolatseDutch footballerborn 1995
- Elton BrownAmerican basketball player (born 1983)
- Elton KabanguBelgian association football playerborn 1998
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Elton, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Eldon
“from the sacred hill”
>99% boys
Weldon
“from the hill near a spring”
>99% boys
Eston
“from the eastern town”
>99% boys
Elden
“an old friend”
>99% boys
Edmond
“a wealthy protector”
>99% boys
Erwin
“a friend of the wild boar”
>99% boys
Newton
“from the new town”
>99% boys
Milton
“from the mill town”
>99% boys