NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Elihu

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "He is my God".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Elihu is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Elihu popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 3 births.

This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2023 to 2023. 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.

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

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Elihu. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Elihu ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 3 boys were registered as Elihu.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elihu as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4991

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

2023

3 births

Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Elihu mean?

The name Elihu has its origins in the Hebrew language. It is believed to be derived from the Hebrew words "El" meaning "God" and "hu" meaning "He is". Thus, the name can be interpreted to mean "He is God" or "My God is He".

The earliest recorded instance of the name Elihu appears in the Book of Job, one of the oldest books in the Hebrew Bible. In the biblical narrative, Elihu is introduced as a young man who rebukes Job and his three friends for their misguided attempts to understand the cause of Job's suffering.

One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Elihu was Elihu Yale, an English merchant and philanthropist born in 1649. He made a significant donation to the Collegiate School in Connecticut, which was later renamed Yale University in his honor.

Another notable individual named Elihu was Elihu Root, an American lawyer and statesman born in 1845. He served as the Secretary of War under President Theodore Roosevelt and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his efforts in promoting international arbitration.

In the 18th century, Elihu Stout was a prominent American preacher and author from New Jersey. He was born in 1744 and was known for his fervent sermons and writings on religious topics.

Elihu Burritt, born in 1810, was an American philanthropist and advocate for world peace. He was widely known as the "Learned Blacksmith" for his ability to master various languages while working as a blacksmith.

Elihu Vedder, born in 1836, was a renowned American painter and illustrator. He is particularly renowned for his symbolic and allegorical works, including his famous painting "The Lair of the Sea Serpent".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Elihu by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elihu 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 #4991 3 1

Related

Names similar to Elihu

FAQ

Elihu: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Elihu was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Elihu most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 3 babies registered as Elihu in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Elihu?

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "He is my God".

How many people are called Elihu in the UK?

A total of 3 babies have been registered as Elihu 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.