Eleia
A feminine name derived from the Greek word 'elaion' meaning olive or olive tree.
Name Census estimates that about 204 living Americans carry the first name Eleia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Eleia today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Eleia births was 2023 (82 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Eleia. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Eleia with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
204
~ 1 in 1,680,168 Americans
Peak year
2023
82 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,324
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Eleia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Eleia from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 187 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eleia by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Eleia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Eleias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Eleia, while Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Eleia
The name Eleia traces its origins back to ancient Greece, where it was derived from the Greek word "elaia," meaning "olive tree." It was a name closely associated with the olive cultivation and production that was an integral part of ancient Greek culture and economics.
In Greek mythology, Eleia was also the name of a nymph who was said to have taught the art of olive cultivation to the people of Attica, a region in ancient Greece. Her name was often invoked during festivals and rituals related to the olive harvest and the production of olive oil.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Eleia can be found in the works of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, who lived around the 8th century BCE. In his poem "Works and Days," he mentions a character named Eleia, although the context is unclear.
Throughout ancient Greek history, several notable figures bore the name Eleia. One such individual was Eleia of Argos, a renowned poet and philosopher who lived in the 5th century BCE. Her poetic works, though now lost, were highly regarded in her time, and she was praised for her wisdom and eloquence.
Another notable Eleia was a priestess who lived in the 4th century BCE and served in the Temple of Athena Polias in Athens. She was celebrated for her devotion to the goddess and her role in maintaining the sacred rituals and traditions of the temple.
In the realm of philosophy, there was Eleia of Crete, a follower of the Cynic school of thought, who lived in the 3rd century BCE. She was known for her unconventional lifestyle and her rejection of material possessions, embracing the principles of simplicity and self-sufficiency.
During the Byzantine era, the name Eleia continued to be used, albeit less frequently. One notable figure was Eleia of Constantinople, a noblewoman and philanthropist who lived in the 9th century CE. She was renowned for her charitable works and her support of various religious and educational institutions.
While the name Eleia may have faded from widespread use over time, its connection to the olive tree and the ancient Greek culture has ensured that it remains a part of the historical record and a testament to the enduring legacy of this ancient civilization.
People
Eleia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Eleia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Eleia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Eleia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 204 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Eleia going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,680,168 US residents.
Is Eleia a common name?
We classify Eleia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 205 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Eleia most popular?
The single biggest year for Eleia was 2023, when 82 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Eleia is about 3 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Eleia in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Eleia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Eleia in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Eleia still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Eleia in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Eleia can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Eleia?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.