Elody
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly a variant of Melody.
Name Census estimates that about 281 living Americans carry the first name Elody. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elody today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elody births was 2024 (71 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elody. 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.
People living today
281
~ 1 in 1,219,766 Americans
Peak year
2024
71 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,508
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Elody: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elody from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 164 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
Elody 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 Elody during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Elodys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Georgia recorded the most babies named Elody, while New Jersey, Georgia, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Elody
The name Elody is a relatively modern invention, likely originating in the 20th century. It appears to be a variant or combination of the names Eloise and Melody. Eloise is a French name derived from the Germanic elements "ail", meaning "other", and "gūdi", meaning "god". Melody, on the other hand, is a word name derived from the Greek word "melos", meaning "song".
While the exact origin of Elody is uncertain, it is possible that it was created as a blend of these two names to create a unique and melodic-sounding name. The earliest recorded instances of the name Elody are relatively scarce, suggesting it was not widely used until more recent times.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Elody was Elody Pumilia, a French actress born in 1936. She had a prolific career in French cinema and television from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Another notable Elody was Elody Rominger, a Swiss professional cyclist born in 1981. She competed in numerous international cycling events, including the Olympic Games and World Championships.
In the literary world, Elody Romain is a French author and illustrator known for her children's books, including the popular series "Les Petites Princesses" (The Little Princesses).
Elody Bourguignon is a contemporary French artist and sculptor, known for her works in ceramic and mixed media. Her works have been exhibited in galleries across Europe and the United States.
Elody Leblanc is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician from Quebec. She has released several albums and has performed at various music festivals in Canada and internationally.
While the name Elody may not have a long and storied history, its relatively recent emergence and unique blend of elements have contributed to its growing popularity in various parts of the world.
People
Elody + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elody 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
Elody: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elody?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 281 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elody 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 1,219,766 US residents.
Is Elody a common name?
We classify Elody as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 283 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elody most popular?
The single biggest year for Elody was 2024, when 71 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elody is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Elody a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elody 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.
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.