UK girl's name
Elfie
A variant of the name Elfrida, derived from Old English, meaning "elf counsel".
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.
Elfie is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Elfie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 7 births.
This profile covers 67 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2001 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 67 living people in the UK are called Elfie. 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
- • Elfie ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 7 girls were registered as Elfie.
- • About 67 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elfie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2011
7 births
Estimated living
67
2026
Meaning
What does Elfie mean?
The name Elfie is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Elfe, which is derived from the Old English word "ælf" or the Old Norse word "álfr," both of which refer to the mythological creatures known as elves. The name itself can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 5th to 8th centuries, when the Anglo-Saxons and Norse peoples inhabited parts of Europe.
While the name Elfie is relatively uncommon in modern times, it has been documented in various historical records throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where an individual named Elfie is listed as a landowner in the county of Norfolk, England.
In the 12th century, a nun named Elfie is mentioned in the chronicles of the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, located in Suffolk, England. This historical reference suggests that the name was in use among religious communities during that time period.
During the 13th century, an English noblewoman named Elfie de Montfort is recorded as having lived in the county of Warwickshire. Her name appears in various legal documents and property records from that era.
In the 16th century, a Scottish woman named Elfie Macgregor is mentioned in the annals of the Clan Macgregor, a prominent Highland clan. Her name is associated with the clan's struggles against the Scottish Crown during the tumultuous period of the Scottish Reformation.
Another notable figure bearing the name Elfie was a Dutch painter from the 17th century, Elfie van der Werff, who was known for her exquisite portraits and still-life paintings. She was born in Rotterdam in 1633 and died in 1707, leaving behind a significant artistic legacy.
While the name Elfie has its roots in ancient Germanic folklore and mythology, it has persisted throughout the centuries, appearing in various historical records and associated with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. These examples showcase the enduring nature of this unique name and its connection to the rich tapestry of human history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Elfie over time
The chart below shows babies named Elfie registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 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 Elfie, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elfie by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elfie 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 | #5212 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4468 | 34 | 7 |
| 2000s | #3685 | 26 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Elfie
- 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
Elfie: questions and answers
How popular is the name Elfie in the UK right now?
In 2024, Elfie was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Elfie most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 7 babies registered as Elfie in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Elfie?
A variant of the name Elfrida, derived from Old English, meaning "elf counsel".
How many people are called Elfie in the UK?
A total of 67 babies have been registered as Elfie across the 15 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.