Elpha
A feminine name of unclear origin, possibly derived from ancient Greek.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Elpha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elpha today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elpha births was 1895 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elpha. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Elpha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1895
7 babies that year
Average age
-
1927 SSA rank
#4,447
Tracked since 1895
Popularity
Elpha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elpha from the 1890s through to the 1920s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 15 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Elpha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elpha 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 Elpha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Elpha
The given name Elpha is a relatively uncommon name with roots that can be traced back to ancient Greek origins. It is derived from the Greek word "elpis," which translates to "hope" or "expectation." The name's earliest known usage dates back to classical antiquity in the Mediterranean region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elpha can be found in ancient Greek literature, where it was occasionally used as a feminine name. However, it was not a widely popular name during that time period, and its usage remained relatively rare throughout the ancient world.
In the Middle Ages, the name Elpha resurfaced sporadically in various regions of Europe, particularly in areas influenced by Greek culture and language. It was sometimes used as a variant spelling of the more common name "Elphina," which shared a similar root and meaning.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Elpha was Elpha the Younger, a Byzantine scholar and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE. She was known for her writings on logic and metaphysics, which contributed to the intellectual discourse of the time.
Another individual of note was Elpha of Corinth, a Greek poet and dramatist who lived in the 5th century BCE. While little is known about her life, some fragments of her works have survived, providing insight into the literary traditions of ancient Greece.
In the 12th century, there was an Elpha of Saxony, a German noblewoman who played a influential role in the political affairs of her time. She was known for her diplomatic skills and her efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.
During the Renaissance period, the name Elpha experienced a brief resurgence in popularity, particularly among intellectual and artistic circles. One notable figure was Elpha Venetian, an Italian painter and sculptor who lived in the 16th century and was celebrated for her exceptional talent and innovative techniques.
While the name Elpha has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has maintained a connection to its Greek roots and the concept of hope and expectation. Its sporadic appearances in various cultures and time periods serve as a testament to the enduring nature of names and their ability to transcend geographical and temporal boundaries.
People
Elpha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elpha 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
Elpha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elpha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elpha 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 - US residents.
Is Elpha a common name?
We classify Elpha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 39 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elpha most popular?
The single biggest year for Elpha was 1895, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elpha is about 0 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 Elpha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elpha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elpha 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 Elpha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elpha 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 Elpha 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 have Elpha as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.