Home › Baby Names Directory › Eldred
Eldred
How to Pronounce Eldred
Pronounced EL-dred /ˈɛl.drɛd/Medium
Meaning: Eldred descends from the Old English Ealdred, joining eald ('old') and ræd ('counsel'), so 'old, wise counsel'; here it is used, unusually, for a girl.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Eldred comes from the Old English Ealdred, from eald ('old') and ræd ('counsel, advice') — the same -red ending seen in Mildred and Etheldreda. It is historically a masculine name.
On the girls' side it never rose above a trickle, cresting in the early nineteen-twenties and fading by mid-century. It has not returned in the modern vintage revival and still reads as firmly antique.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Eldred Gregory Peck (1916–2003)American actor born Eldred Gregory Peck, an Academy Award winner best known as Atticus Finch.
If you like Eldred…
Explore names like Eldred
Frequently Asked
What does the name Eldred mean?
Eldred is Old English and means 'old counsel', from eald ('old') and ræd ('counsel').
How do you pronounce Eldred?
It's said EL-dred /ˈɛl.drɛd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Eldred a boy or girl name?
Eldred is historically a boy's name, but this entry records its rare early-century use for girls.
How popular is Eldred?
Eldred is very rare as a girl's name, appearing only briefly and in tiny numbers in the early twentieth century.