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Home › Baby Names Directory › Elin

Elin

♀ Girl

Pronounced EH-lin /ˈeː.lɪn/High

Meaning: bright, shining, torchHigh

In 30 seconds: Elin is a Scandinavian name meaning 'bright', 'shining', or 'torch'.
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Origin HighScandinavian
Meaningbright, shining, torch
U.S. rank (2024)#2529 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births70 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,999

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201118932024

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

Elin is the Scandinavian form connected to Helen, carrying the bright, shining sense of a torch or light. It is especially at home in Swedish and Norwegian usage, where it has long been a favorite. The meaning ties it to an old and luminous naming tradition.

It sits among a wide family of related names, including Elina, the accented Helén, and the fuller Helena, Helene, and Ellen. Trim and clear, Elin keeps the light meaning in a single neat pair of syllables.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Elin is 'torch', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 86%
Behind the Name - Elin — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

ElinaHelénHelenaHeleneEllen

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Elin Nordegren (1980-)
    Swedish former model and ex-wife of golfer Tiger Woods
  • ★Elin Wägner (1882-1949)
    Swedish writer, journalist and feminist
  • ★Elin Kling (1983-)
    Swedish fashion blogger and designer

If you like Elin…

Helena— A fuller form sharing Elin's 'shining light' meaning.
Ellen— An English relative of Elin with the same root and sense.
Elina— A close Scandinavian and Finnish extension of Elin.
Juni— a similarly popular pick
Erica— another Scandinavian name

Explore names like Elin

By themenatureswedishnorwegian
By meaningLight

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Elin mean?

Elin is usually explained as meaning 'torch' and is most often linked with Swedish tradition.

How do you pronounce Elin?

It's commonly said EH-lin /ˈeː.lɪn/.

Is Elin a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Elin is used as a girl name.

How popular is Elin?

In 2024, Elin ranked #2529 in the U.S. for girls, with 70 births recorded.

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