Elona
A feminine variant of Elona, derived from Greek roots meaning "sun ray".
Name Census estimates that about 872 living Americans carry the first name Elona. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elona today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elona births was 1946 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elona. 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
872
~ 1 in 393,067 Americans
Peak year
1946
39 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,988
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Elona: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elona from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 189 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Elona remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elona 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 Elona during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Elonas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Elona
The name Elona has its roots in the Albanian language and culture. It is a feminine given name that is believed to have originated in the 15th or 16th century during the Ottoman period in the Balkans. The name is derived from the Albanian word "elë," which means "wind" or "breeze."
In Albanian folklore and literature, the name Elona is often associated with grace, beauty, and freedom. It is thought to represent a woman who is as free-spirited and gentle as the wind. The name's connection to the natural world and its poetic connotations have made it a popular choice among Albanian families for centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elona can be found in the 17th-century Albanian epic poem, "Kënga e Sprasme e Balës" (The Bravery of Balës), which recounts the heroic deeds of an Albanian warrior named Balë. In this epic, a character named Elona is mentioned as the beloved of the hero, Balë.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Elona. One of the most well-known was Elona Gjika (1863-1936), an Albanian educator and feminist who played a pivotal role in promoting women's education and rights in Albania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Another prominent figure was Elona Toska (1919-1988), an Albanian painter and sculptor who was one of the leading artists of the socialist realist movement in Albania during the mid-20th century. Her works, which often depicted scenes of everyday life and labor, are widely regarded as significant contributions to Albanian art.
In the realm of literature, Elona Hodaj (1938-1997) was an acclaimed Albanian poet and writer who explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition in her poetry collections and novels. Her work was widely celebrated and earned her numerous literary awards during her lifetime.
The name Elona has also been borne by notable figures in other fields, such as Elona Murati (1981-present), an Albanian-American model and actress who has appeared in various films and television shows, and Elona Gjebrea (1980-present), an Albanian chess grandmaster and one of the strongest female chess players in the world.
While the name Elona has its roots in Albanian culture, it has gained popularity and recognition in other parts of the world as well. Its gentle, poetic connotations and connection to the natural world have made it an appealing choice for parents seeking a name with a beautiful and meaningful origin.
People
Elona + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elona 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
Elona: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elona?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 872 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elona 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 393,067 US residents.
Is Elona a common name?
We classify Elona as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,125 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elona most popular?
The single biggest year for Elona was 1946, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elona is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Elona a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elona 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.