Find out how popular the first name Eliel has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Eliel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Eliel is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Eliel being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 488 male babies and 9 female babies born with the name Eliel.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 9 baby girls were named Eliel in 2024, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Eliel

The name Eliel has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, tracing back to ancient times. It is a combination of two Hebrew words, "El," meaning "God," and "el," meaning "towards." Thus, the name Eliel can be interpreted as "God is my strength" or "towards God."

This name finds its earliest mentions in the Bible, appearing in the Book of Ezra as the name of a priest who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity. It is also referenced in the Book of Chronicles as the name of a Levite. These biblical references indicate that the name Eliel was in use among the ancient Israelites.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Eliel was Eliel ben Amotz, a Levite mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:20 as a musician during the reign of King David in the 10th century BCE. Another notable figure was Eliel ben Ahia, a Levite priest and one of the supervisors of the work on the Temple during the reign of King Solomon in the 10th century BCE.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Eliel. In the 17th century, Eliel ben Moses Bashiatchi was a prominent rabbi and scholar of Jewish law in Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). He lived from 1555 to 1619. Eliel ben Joseph Amiden was a 17th-century rabbi and Talmudic scholar who lived in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) from 1625 to 1692.

In the 19th century, Eliel Saarinen was a renowned Finnish architect and designer, born in 1873 and died in 1950. He is best known for his work on the Helsinki Central Railway Station and the National Museum of Finland. Another notable figure was Eliel Löfgren, a Swedish botanist and explorer, who lived from 1829 to 1899 and is known for his contributions to the study of the flora of Central America and the West Indies.

Eliel Soisalon-Soininen was a Finnish writer, journalist, and politician who lived from 1834 to 1909. He played a significant role in the Finnish nationalist movement and was a member of the Finnish Senate.

While these are just a few examples, the name Eliel has been used throughout history by individuals from various cultures and backgrounds, often with roots in the Hebrew tradition and Biblical references.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Eliel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Eliel, please contact us.

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