The baby name Elsa started out as a nickname for Elizabeth, but today it's a given name in its own right. It's more popular in Europe — particularly in Scandanavian countries — than it is in the United States, but it remains a top 1,000 name for baby girls. Of course, the name Elizabeth has biblical origins — she was the mother of John the Baptist. These days, many parents associate the name Elsa with the Disney character of the same name.
Meaning and Origin of the name Elsa:
Elsa is a German and Scandinavian girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning “pledged to God” or “God is my oath.”
Elsa is a derivative of the biblical name Elizabeth. Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew name Elisheva, which is derived of the roots el (meaning “God”) and shava (meaning “oath”).
Symbolism of the name Elsa:
Because of its meaning, the baby name Elsa may have special symbolism for parents of the Christian faith.
Nicknames for the name Elsa:
Elsa is a sweet-sounding name for girls. If you are looking for nicknames to help you decide if Elsa is the right name for your baby girl, then take a look at the list we compiled below. Each of the nicknames for Elsa are cute and darling for any baby girl.
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Style of the name Elsa:
Traditional
Gender of the name Elsa:
Elsa is a girl's name.
Pronunciation of the name Elsa:
EHL-suh
Number of syllables in the name Elsa:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Elsa:
The baby name Elsa evokes images of someone who is strong and never shies away from a challenge.
Alternative spellings for the name Elsa:
- Elza
- Ellza
- Ellsa
Popularity of the name Elsa:
Elsa has been a top 1,000 baby name in the United States since at least 1900. According to the Social Security Administration, it ranked at number 918 in 2020.
Related names for the name Elsa:
Great middle names for Elsa and their meanings:
- Violet (purple)
- Mae (pearl)
- Harper (harp player)
- Ruth (compassionate friend)
- Brooke (small stream)
- Olivia (olive tree)
- Rose (flower)
- Eve (life)
- Grace (God's grace)
- Charlotte (free man)
Famous people with the name Elsa:
- Elsa Einstein (wife of Albert Einstein)
- Elsa Hosk (model)
- Elsa Lunghini (singer)
- Elsa Lanchester (actress)
- Elsa Peretti (jewelry designer)
- Elsa Pataky (actress)
Elsas in popular culture:
- Elsa (character in the Disney movie “Frozen”)
- Elsa (character on the TV show “Once Upon a Time”)
- Baroness Elsa von Schraeder (character from “The Sound of Music”)
- Elsa Cleeg (character on the TV show “Kim Possible”)
- Elsa(character on the TV show “American Horror Story: Freak Show”)
- Elsa Lichtmann (character from the video game “L.A. Noire”)
- Elsa Schneider (character in the “Indiana Jones” movie franchise)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Guschenkova/Shutterstock.com.