Eloise is a feminine given name of French origin. It is derived from the Occitan name Aloïs, which itself comes from the Germanic name Adalwolf, consisting of the elements adal "noble" and wulf "wolf". Therefore, Eloise could be interpreted as meaning "noble wolf".
The name Eloise has been popular throughout history, with some notable historical figures bearing this name. For instance, Éloïse d'Harcourt (1245-1310) was a French noblewoman who played a significant role in the political events of her time. She is also known for being the lover of King Philip III of France.
The name Eloise gained further popularity in literature through the works of several authors, including Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "Enoch Arden" and George Sand's novel "Elle et Lui". However, it was probably the fictional character Eloise McKee from the 1945 film "The Picture of Dorian Gray" that contributed most significantly to the name's popularization in English-speaking countries.
Today, Eloise remains a popular choice for parents seeking a distinctive yet classic feminine name. Its musical quality and rich historical background make it an appealing option for those looking for a meaningful and timeless name for their daughter.
The name Eloise has seen a significant rise in popularity over the past few decades in the United States. In the late 19th century, there were only single-digit numbers of babies named Eloise each year, ranging from 11 births in 1880 to 57 births in 1895.
However, starting from the early 20th century, the number of babies named Eloise began to grow steadily. The first significant increase occurred between 1900 and 1910, with the number of births reaching triple digits for the first time, from 107 births in 1900 to 324 births in 1911.
The trend continued throughout the early-to-mid 20th century, with Eloise consistently being given to between a hundred and two hundred babies each year. The peak of this period was reached in 1946, with 746 births.
After World War II, the popularity of the name Eloise started to decline. Between 1950 and 1969, the number of Eloise births decreased from 524 to just 85, marking a significant drop in popularity.
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw another decrease in popularity for the name Eloise. However, beginning in the mid-1970s, there was a renewed interest in the name, with the number of births slowly but steadily increasing from 29 in 1974 to 39 in 1979.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Eloise remained relatively stable in popularity, with around 20-50 births each year. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the name began to gain significant traction once again.
From 2000 onwards, there was a dramatic increase in the number of babies named Eloise. This can be attributed to several factors, including its use in popular culture (for example, in the children's book "Eloise" by Kay Thompson), and perhaps also as a reaction against more traditional names that were popular at the time.
By 2016, there were over 1500 babies named Eloise born in the United States. This number continued to rise, reaching an all-time high of 2916 births in 2023. Over the past two decades alone, more than 40,000 babies have been named Eloise in the U.S., demonstrating a clear resurgence in popularity for this once-niche name.
In conclusion, while Eloise started as a relatively uncommon name in the late 19th century, it has since experienced periods of increased popularity, particularly in the early-to-mid 20th century and again from the early 2000s onwards. Today, Eloise is one of the most popular names for baby girls in the United States.