Elliott is a given name of English origin that has been gaining popularity in recent years. It is derived from the surname Elliott, which is an anglicized form of the Scottish name Elwood. The name Elwood itself comes from the Old English elements "aelf" meaning "elf" and "wudu" meaning "wood". Therefore, Elliott could be interpreted to mean "elf power" or "wood warrior".
The name Elliott first appeared as a given name in the 19th century, although it was more commonly used as a surname prior to that time. It is thought to have been popularized as a given name by the character Elliott Templeton in Anthony Trollope's novel "The Way We Live Now", published in 1875.
Today, Elliott is considered a modern classic name that is often associated with intelligence and creativity. It has consistently ranked among the top 1000 boys' names in the United States since the 1990s and reached its peak popularity in 2006 when it was the 38th most popular boy's name. In recent years, Elliott has also become increasingly popular as a girl's name, although it is still more commonly used for boys.
Some notable people named Elliott include American actors Elliott Gould and Elliott Smith, British singer-songwriter Elliott Minor, and Australian footballer Elliott Yelavich. Despite its Scottish origins, Elliott is now used worldwide and is particularly popular in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Overall, Elliott is a strong and distinctive name with an interesting history that continues to be widely admired today.
Based on the statistics provided, the popularity of the name Elliott in the United States has shown a significant increase over time. In the early 20th century, there were fewer than 10 births per year with the name Elliott, with some years having no recorded births of this name at all.
However, starting from the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a noticeable rise in the number of babies named Elliott. From 1983 onwards, the number of annual births with the name Elliott consistently exceeded 10, indicating that it began to gain traction as a popular choice among parents.
The trend continued throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century, with the number of Elliott births increasing steadily. In the year 2000, there were only 12 recorded births with this name, but by 2003, that number had more than doubled to 62 births.
The years 2005 to 2023 saw a remarkable surge in popularity for the name Elliott. From 93 births in 2005, it jumped to a peak of 673 births in 2019. Although there has been a slight decrease since then, with 440 births recorded in 2023, the overall trend shows that Elliott remains a popular choice among parents today.
In total, from 1917 to 2023, there have been 7,182 babies born in the United States named Elliott. This statistic underscores the enduring appeal of this name across multiple generations.