NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Elesa

An Italian feminine name meaning "industrious" or "diligent".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Elesa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Elesa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 3 births.

This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2011 to 2011. 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.

Elesa is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Elesa. 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 2012 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Elesa ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 3 girls were registered as Elesa.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elesa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5785

2011

Births in 2011

3

Latest year

Peak year

2011

3 births

Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Elesa mean?

The name Elesa has its origins in the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "eleos," which means "mercy" or "compassion." The name Elesa was not particularly common in ancient Greece, but it did appear in some historical records and writings from that era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elesa can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. In his writings, he mentions a woman named Elesa who was a priestess in the city of Ephesus, located in what is now modern-day Turkey. However, there are few other details provided about this individual.

During the Byzantine era, which spanned from the 4th to the 15th century AD, the name Elesa gained a bit more popularity among Greek Christians. It was sometimes used as a variant of the name Elessa, which was derived from the Greek word "elpis," meaning "hope." Some historical records from this period mention women named Elesa, but they were generally not prominent figures.

In the Middle Ages, the name Elesa was less common, but it did appear occasionally in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with Greek cultural influences. One notable figure from this time was Elesa of Montferrat, a 12th-century Italian noblewoman who was the wife of Boniface I, Marquess of Montferrat. She played a role in the political affairs of the time, but details about her life are scarce.

Another historical figure with the name Elesa was Elesa Barozzi, an Italian painter who lived in the 16th century. She was a member of the prestigious Accademia di San Luca in Rome and is known for her religious paintings and portraits. Her exact birth and death dates are uncertain, but she is believed to have been active in the mid-to-late 1500s.

In the 17th century, there was an Elesa von Beust, a German noblewoman who was a member of the Beust family, which had connections to the Electorate of Saxony. She lived from around 1620 to 1680, but not much is known about her personal life or accomplishments.

During the 18th century, the name Elesa appeared in some literary works, such as the novel "The Adventures of Elesa" by the French writer Marie-Jeanne Riccoboni, published in 1766. However, there are no particularly notable historical figures from this period who bore the name.

It is worth noting that while the name Elesa has ancient Greek roots, it has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, especially in more recent centuries. This is likely due to the prevalence of other Greek names, as well as the influence of other cultural and linguistic traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Elesa by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elesa 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
2010s #5785 3 1

Related

Names similar to Elesa

FAQ

Elesa: questions and answers

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

In 2011, Elesa was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Elesa most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 3 babies registered as Elesa in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Elesa?

An Italian feminine name meaning "industrious" or "diligent".

How many people are called Elesa in the UK?

A total of 3 babies have been registered as Elesa across the 1 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.