Elah
Girl name · #4277 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Elah? In official American birth records, Elah has been tracked continuously since 1905, giving it 120 years of documented American history.
Elah is currently the #4277 girl name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 girls born in 2025 was named Elah.
The 120-year story
Elah first appears in the Social Security records in 1905, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 33 girls were named Elah — good for #4295 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Elah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Elah will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Elah is most common
State-level data for Elah is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Elah
Statistically, parents drawn to Elah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ellah, Nilah, Naylah, Tylah, and Nalah.
EllahNilahNaylahTylahNalahAniylahAilahAmylah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #4265 |
| 2024 | 15 | #7251 |
| 2023 | 10 | #9616 |
| 2022 | 18 | #6464 |
| 2021 | 26 | #4964 |
| 2020 | 20 | #5850 |
| 2019 | 18 | #6414 |
| 2018 | 14 | #7762 |
| 2017 | 18 | #6531 |
| 2016 | 18 | #6663 |
| 2015 | 33 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 14 | #8053 |
| 2013 | 14 | #8135 |
| 2012 | 14 | #8208 |
| 2011 | 19 | #6564 |
| 2010 | 18 | #6904 |
| 2009 | 14 | #8454 |
| 2008 | 19 | #6799 |
| 2007 | 18 | #7092 |
| 2006 | 7 | #13606 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13010 |
| 1924 | 5 | #5061 |
| 1920 | 7 | #3957 |
| 1915 | 6 | #3795 |
| 1905 | 5 | #1931 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Elah?
In official American birth records, the name Elah first appeared in 1905 (over 120 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 120 years.
Is Elah a popular girl name?
Elah ranked #4277 among girls in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Elah most popular?
Elah peaked in 2015, when 33 American girls received the name (ranked #4295 that year). Since 2015 the name has recovered some ground.
How rare is the name Elah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American girls was named Elah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.