Find out how popular the first name Elisah has been for the last 38 years (from 1978 to 2015) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Elisah by gender

Based on the last 38 years of data, Elisah is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 73% of people named Elisah being male.

For the most recent data in 2015, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Elisah.

The history of the first name Elisah

The name Elisah is of Hebrew origin, derived from a combination of the Hebrew words "El" meaning "God" and "Yasha" meaning "salvation" or "deliverance." It is a variant spelling of the more common name Elisha, which appears in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) as the name of a prominent prophet who lived during the 9th century BCE.

Elisah first appears in the biblical Book of Kings, where Elisha is portrayed as the successor to the prophet Elijah. He is renowned for performing numerous miracles, including healing a leper, raising a boy from the dead, and making an axe head float on water. Elisah's name carried a symbolic meaning, representing the idea of God as a source of salvation or deliverance.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Elisah was Elisah ben Avuyah, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 2nd century CE and was known as "Acher" (meaning "other") due to his controversial views on Judaism. He is mentioned in the Talmud, a central text of rabbinic Judaism.

In the 5th century CE, there was Elisah bar Shimshai, a Jewish scholar from Babylon who is credited with establishing the first Jewish academy in Sura, which became a prominent center of Jewish learning in the region.

During the Middle Ages, Elisah ben Abraham ben Matityahu Hakohen, also known as Elisah Capsali, was a prominent Jewish scholar and author from Crete who lived in the late 15th century. He wrote several works on Jewish law and philosophy.

In the 16th century, Elisah ben Moshe Ashkenazi was a renowned Jewish scholar and Kabbalist from Poland. He wrote extensively on Jewish mysticism and is known for his work "Sefer Maaseh Hashem," which explored the creation of the universe.

In the 17th century, Elisah ben Jacob Cresca was a Jewish physician and scholar from Italy who wrote on various topics, including medicine, philosophy, and mathematics.

These historical figures demonstrate the enduring presence of the name Elisah throughout different periods and cultures, reflecting its deep roots in the Hebrew tradition and its association with religious scholarship and learning.

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 Elisah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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