NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Elektra

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "bright, shining one".

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.

Elektra is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Elektra popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3318, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 21 births.

This profile covers 268 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 2003 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 267 living people in the UK are called Elektra. 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

  • Elektra ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2007, when 21 girls were registered as Elektra.
  • About 267 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elektra as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3318

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2007

21 births

Estimated living

267

2026

Meaning

What does Elektra mean?

The name Elektra originates from the ancient Greek language and culture, with its roots tracing back to the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Greek word "elektron," meaning "amber" or "shining sun." The name carries connotations of radiance, brilliance, and luminosity.

In Greek mythology, Elektra was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and her story is depicted in various ancient texts, including the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Her name is often associated with fierce loyalty, vengeance, and the pursuit of justice for her father's murder.

The earliest recorded example of the name Elektra can be found in ancient Greek literature, where it was used as a character name in the aforementioned tragedies. Over the centuries, the name has been adopted and adapted across various cultures and languages.

One of the most famous historical figures with the name Elektra was Elektra, the daughter of the Greek tragic poet Sophocles, who lived in the 5th century BCE. Another notable Elektra was a Greek princess from the island of Rhodes, who lived in the 2nd century BCE.

In the 16th century, the German composer and theorist Elektra Schmidtlein (1548-1618) made significant contributions to the development of music theory and notation.

During the 19th century, the name gained popularity in Europe, and one of the most renowned individuals with the name was Elektra Adalheid Paulina von Mettlerkamp (1829-1897), a German writer and women's rights advocate.

In the 20th century, the name Elektra was associated with the Austrian-American writer and psychoanalyst Elektra Karelitz (1907-1987), who wrote under the pen name Elektra Trachana.

Another notable figure was Elektra Waggaman Biggs (1853-1936), an American socialite and philanthropist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement and the establishment of the National Society of Patriotic Women of America.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Elektra over time

The chart below shows babies named Elektra registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 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 Elektra, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 21 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Elektra
05111621200320132024

Decades

Elektra by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elektra 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 #2759 47 5
2010s #2034 144 10
2000s #2298 77 7

Related

Names similar to Elektra

FAQ

Elektra: questions and answers

How popular is the name Elektra in the UK right now?

In 2024, Elektra was ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Elektra most popular?

The peak year on record was 2007, with 21 babies registered as Elektra in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Elektra?

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "bright, shining one".

How many people are called Elektra in the UK?

A total of 268 babies have been registered as Elektra across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.