Elle
Girl name · #462 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Elle? In official American birth records, Elle has been tracked continuously since 1977, giving it 48 years of documented American history.
Elle ranks #462 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 668 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #397, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,695 girls born in 2025 was named Elle.
The 48-year story
Elle first appears in the Social Security records in 1977, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 890 girls were named Elle — good for #354 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 Elle per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elle against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elle in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elle is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Elle is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elle is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Elle is most common in CT (1.3 per 1,000), NV (1.1 per 1,000), UT (0.9 per 1,000), LA (0.9 per 1,000), IL (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Elle is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Elle
Statistically, parents drawn to Elle tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eve, Miracle, Annabelle, Giselle, and Noelle.
EveMiracleAnnabelleGiselleNoelleBrielleEmmieEmmy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elle | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 668 | #461 |
| 2024 | 644 | #479 |
| 2023 | 702 | #441 |
| 2022 | 795 | #393 |
| 2021 | 870 | #357 |
| 2020 | 842 | #370 |
| 2019 | 890 | #354 |
| 2018 | 817 | #382 |
| 2017 | 833 | #375 |
| 2016 | 834 | #399 |
| 2015 | 819 | #397 |
| 2014 | 825 | #395 |
| 2013 | 749 | #408 |
| 2012 | 822 | #383 |
| 2011 | 766 | #414 |
| 2010 | 750 | #420 |
| 2009 | 709 | #443 |
| 2008 | 642 | #492 |
| 2007 | 677 | #475 |
| 2006 | 653 | #481 |
| 2005 | 594 | #505 |
| 2004 | 596 | #494 |
| 2003 | 497 | #556 |
| 2002 | 418 | #612 |
| 2001 | 197 | #1076 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Elle?
In official American birth records, the name Elle first appeared in 1977 (over 48 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 48 years.
Is Elle a popular girl name?
Elle ranked #462 among girls in 2025 with 668 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #397.
When was the name Elle most popular?
Elle peaked in 2019, when 890 American girls received the name (ranked #354 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Elle?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,695 newborn American girls was named Elle. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.