UK name, mostly girls
Elisha
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is salvation".
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.
Elisha is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Elisha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1603, with 19 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 351 births.
This profile covers 4,505 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 5% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 4,754 living people in the UK are called Elisha. 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
- • Elisha ranked #1603 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 19 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 351 girls were registered as Elisha.
- • Elisha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #358 in 2015.
- • About 4,754 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elisha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 89.5% of Elisha registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1603
2024
Births in 2024
19
Latest year
Peak year
2000
351 births
Estimated living
4,754
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Elisha
In England and Wales birth records, Elisha has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 10.5% of registrations are for boys and 89.5% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Elisha registered for boys
- Ranked #1,322 in 2024
- 20 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2013 (33 births)
Elisha registered for girls
- Ranked #1,603 in 2024
- 19 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2000 (351 births)
Meaning
What does Elisha mean?
The name Elisha has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient Biblical times. It is derived from the Hebrew words "El" meaning "God" and "yasha" meaning "to save" or "to deliver." The combined meaning of Elisha is often interpreted as "God is salvation" or "God is my salvation."
One of the earliest and most prominent references to the name Elisha can be found in the Hebrew Bible, where it refers to a prominent prophet and successor to the prophet Elijah. The biblical account of Elisha's life and miracles is recorded in the First and Second Books of Kings.
The name Elisha gained further recognition and popularity in the Christian tradition, as it was adopted by several early Christian saints and figures. One notable example is Saint Elisha of Babylon, a 4th-century martyr and Bishop of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Sassanid Persian Empire.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Elisha. One of the earliest recorded examples is Elisha ben Abuya, a prominent Jewish scholar and tanna (rabbi) who lived in the 2nd century CE in ancient Judea.
Another significant figure was Elisha Gray (1835-1901), an American electrical engineer and inventor who is best known for his development of a telephone prototype, which he patented just a few hours after Alexander Graham Bell's famous invention.
In the realm of literature, Elisha Cook Jr. (1903-1995) was an American character actor who appeared in numerous films and television shows, often portraying villains or shady characters.
Elisha Cuthbert (born 1982) is a Canadian actress and model, best known for her roles in popular television series such as "24" and "House of Wax."
Elisha Graves Otis (1811-1861) was an American inventor and entrepreneur who revolutionized the design of modern elevators by introducing a safety brake system, which made skyscrapers possible.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Elisha throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Elisha over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Elisha in England and Wales, 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 Elisha, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 19 births in 2024, compared with 351 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elisha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elisha 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 | #1462 | 106 | 5 |
| 2010s | #588 | 777 | 10 |
| 2000s | #208 | 2,398 | 10 |
| 1990s | #152 | 1,224 | 4 |
Geography
Where Elisha is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Elisha. 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.
Elisha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #358 in 2015.
Across the UK
Elisha in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#792 in 2021
28 years of NRS records, 184 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#358 in 2015
17 years of NISRA records, 95 total registered
Related
Names similar to Elisha
- 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
Elisha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Elisha in the UK right now?
In 2024, Elisha was ranked #1603 for girls in England and Wales, with 19 births registered.
When was Elisha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 351 babies registered as Elisha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Elisha?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is salvation".
How many people are called Elisha in the UK?
A total of 4,505 babies have been registered as Elisha across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 184 more in Scotland and 95 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Elisha most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Elisha ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #358 in 2015. 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.