Elsa

♀ Girl

Pronounced EL-suh /ˈɛl.sə/High

Meaning: Pledged to God; short form of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheba (my God is an oath / my God is abundance)High

In 30 seconds: A crisp Germanic short form of Elizabeth meaning 'pledged to God.' Known from Wagner's opera Lohengrin and given global fame by Disney's Frozen (2013), Elsa combines vintage elegance with blockbuster modern recognition.

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Origin HighGermanic, Hebrew

MeaningPledged to God; short form of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheba (my God is an oath / my God is abundance)

U.S. rank (2025)#1104 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births216 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2014

Total births (all-time)≈ 30,706

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

Elsa is a short form of Elisabeth (Elizabeth), itself from the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning 'my God is an oath' or 'my God is abundance.' Elsa developed as an independent given name in German and Scandinavian countries from the 19th century. It is the name of the heroine in Wagner's opera Lohengrin (1850).

Elsa was moderately popular in the U.S. in the early 20th century, faded, and then surged dramatically after the release of Disney's Frozen in 2013, in which it is the name of the ice queen. It ranked #938 for girls in 2024 — still elevated from its pre-Frozen levels.

Did you know? Disney's Frozen transformed Elsa from a stately, somewhat rare name into a phenomenon — U.S. registrations for Elsa rose sharply after the film's 2013 release, demonstrating how a single film can reshape naming trends almost overnight.

Overall data confidence 92%

Behind the Name — Elsa — etymology and Scandinavian historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data including Frozen-era spike

Variations

ElseElza

Nicknames

ElEllie

Famous Bearers

★Elsa Lanchester (1902–1986)
British-American actress best known for playing the Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

If you like Elsa…

Anna— Elsa's sister in Frozen and a Scandinavian classic in its own right

Astrid— Scandinavian classic name with the same crisp Nordic character

Ingrid— Germanic/Norse name with the same vintage Scandinavian elegance

Freya— Norse goddess name with the same cool, Scandinavian feel

Explore names like Elsa

By themehebrew short vintage germanic scandinavian disney

By meaningGod / Divine Wealth

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Elsa mean?

Elsa means 'pledged to God,' as a short form of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheba (my God is an oath).

How do you pronounce Elsa?

It's said EL-suh — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Elsa a boy or girl name?

Elsa is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Elsa?

Elsa ranked #938 for U.S. girls in 2024, boosted by Disney's Frozen (2013).