UK girl's name
Elana
A feminine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God has answered".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Elana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Elana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1353, with 24 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 34 births.
This profile covers 693 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 712 living people in the UK are called Elana. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Elana ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 24 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 34 girls were registered as Elana.
- • Elana ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #430 in 2010.
- • About 712 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1353
2024
Births in 2024
24
Latest year
Peak year
2014
34 births
Estimated living
712
2026
Meaning
What does Elana mean?
The name Elana has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew name Elana, which means "oak tree" or "tall tree." The name is a variant of the more common Hebrew name Elana, with a slightly different spelling.
In the Bible, the name Elana is not explicitly mentioned, but it shares a root with the Hebrew word "elon," which refers to an oak tree. Oak trees were revered in ancient Israelite culture and were often associated with strength, endurance, and longevity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elana can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism. The Talmud mentions a woman named Elana who lived in the 4th century CE and was renowned for her wisdom and knowledge of Jewish law.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Elana. One of the earliest was Elana of Narni (1370-1459), an Italian mystic and saint who is revered in the Roman Catholic Church for her visions and spiritual teachings.
Another famous Elana was Elana Ferrante (1544-1634), an Italian Renaissance poet and writer who was celebrated for her lyrical works and was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time.
In more recent history, Elana Meyer (born 1966) is a South African former long-distance runner and Olympic medalist. She won numerous titles and broke several world records during her athletic career.
Elana Kagan (born 1960) is an American lawyer and jurist who currently serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and took office in 2010.
Elana Dykewomon (born 1949) is an American author and activist known for her contributions to lesbian literature and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. She has written several novels and short stories exploring themes of identity, community, and social justice.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Elana, a name that has endured and carried various cultural and historical significances across different eras and regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Elana over time
The chart below shows babies named Elana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Elana, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 24 births in 2024, compared with 34 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elana by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elana was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1427 | 111 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1293 | 262 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1044 | 255 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1208 | 65 | 4 |
Geography
Where Elana is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Elana. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Elana ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #430 in 2010.
Across the UK
Elana in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#816 in 2013
6 years of NRS records, 20 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#430 in 2010
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Elana
-
Elana Binysh
actor
actor
1993-
Related
Names similar to Elana
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Elana: questions and answers
How popular is the name Elana in the UK right now?
In 2024, Elana was ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales, with 24 births registered.
When was Elana most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 34 babies registered as Elana in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Elana?
A feminine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God has answered".
How many people are called Elana in the UK?
A total of 693 babies have been registered as Elana across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 20 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Elana most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Elana ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #430 in 2010. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.