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Elias

♂ Boy

Pronounced ih-LY-us /ɪˈlaɪ.əs/High

Meaning: My God is Yahweh; the Greek/Latin form of ElijahHigh

In 30 seconds: The Greek and Latin form of Elijah, meaning 'my God is Yahweh.' Elias is the form used in the New Testament and across European languages, and has climbed into the U.S. top 50.
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Origin HighGreek, Hebrew
MeaningMy God is Yahweh; the Greek/Latin form of Elijah
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 75,489

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201718802017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Elias is the Greek and Latin rendering of the Hebrew Eliyyahu (Elijah), meaning 'my God is Yahweh.' It is the form used in the Greek New Testament (LXX/NT: Ηλίας) and was the standard form in Western Christianity through the medieval period.

Elias was common in medieval and early modern Europe. In the United States it was in modest use before a strong 21st-century revival. It entered the U.S. top 100 around 2010 and has climbed to the top 50, appreciated as a slightly more international-feeling alternative to Elijah.

Did you know? Elias is the form of the name used in the New Testament when Jesus references the prophet, and in most European languages (German, French, Scandinavian). The English form Elijah comes directly from Hebrew, while Elias comes through Greek.

Variations

ElijahÉlieEliaElíasIlias

Nicknames

EliEly

Famous Bearers

  • ★Elias Canetti (1905–1994)
    Bulgarian-British author, Nobel Prize in Literature winner.

If you like Elias…

Elijah— the Hebrew form of the same name
Ezra— shares the classical Old Testament feel with modern appeal
Lucas— equally smooth Latin-origin classic boys' name
Julian— shares the Latin/Greek classic heritage
Leo— another short, crisp classical name with the same warmth

Frequently Asked

What does the name Elias mean?

Elias is the Greek and Latin form of Elijah, from the Hebrew Eliyyahu, meaning 'my God is Yahweh' — the great Old Testament prophet's name through a different linguistic tradition.

How do you pronounce Elias?

Elias is said ih-LY-us /ɪˈlaɪ.əs/ — three syllables, with stress on the second.

Is Elias a boy or girl name?

Elias is used almost exclusively as a boy's name.

How popular is Elias?

Elias has climbed into the U.S. top 50 boys' names since the early 2020s, riding the same wave of interest in Old Testament names as its Hebrew form Elijah.