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Name Lineage

    The first name Elisha

    A unisex name from Hebrew.

    Pronounced /ɪˈlaɪʃə/ 3 syllables Unisex

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew אֱלִישָׁע (ʾĔlîšāʿ).

    A form of Alicia.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 25 girls were named Elisha, making it the 1,271st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2000, with 351 births (#132).

    0200400 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    5,080
    babies named Elisha, 1996–2025
    #1,271
    rank in 2025
    2000
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Elisha with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Elisha at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 322 boys born in the United States were named Elisha, the 789th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1980, when 624 were.

    0350700 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    30,034
    babies named Elisha since 1880
    #789
    rank in 2025
    1980
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Elisha

    11 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Elisha Cuthbert
      Canadian actress, born 1982
    • Elisha Otis
      Founder of Otis Elevator Co., 1811–1861
    • Elisha Gray
      American electrical engineer, 1835–1901
    • Elisha Cook Jr.
      American actor (1903-1995)
    • Elisha Kent Kane
      American explorer and military medical officer (1820–1857)
    • Elisha P. Ferry
      American politician (1825-1895)
    • Elisha Collier
      American inventor of the flintlock revolver, 1788–1856
    • Elisha M. Pease
      American politician (1812-1883)
    • Elisha Mathewson
      American politician (1767-1853)
    • Elisha Harris
      American politician (1791-1861)
    • Archie Manning
      American football player (born 1949)

    More Hebrew unisex names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Elisha mean?
    Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew אֱלִישָׁע (ʾĔlîšāʿ).
    What is the origin of the name Elisha?
    Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew אֱלִישָׁע (ʾĔlîšāʿ).
    How popular is the name Elisha?
    In 2025, 25 girls born in England and Wales were named Elisha, ranking 1,271st. Its peak was 2000, with 351 births.
    Is Elisha a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 30,034 US babies named Elisha since 1880, 48% were girls and 52% boys.
    When was Elisha most popular?
    1980 in the United States, when 624 babies were named Elisha, its highest rank at 373rd.
    How do you pronounce Elisha?
    Elisha is /ɪˈlaɪʃə/, 3 syllables.
    What name is Elisha a form of?
    Elisha is a form of Alicia.