Elso
A feminine name of English origin, meaning "battle champion".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Elso. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Elso today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elso births was 1920 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elso. 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 Elso. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1920
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#3,958
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Elso: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Elso 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 Elso during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Elso
The given name Elso traces its origins to the Old Norse language and the Viking culture that flourished in Scandinavia during the 8th to 11th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "ælsir," which means "lover" or "beloved." The name was likely given to sons as a symbol of affection and admiration.
One of the earliest known references to the name Elso can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which are medieval literary works that recount the lives and adventures of Norse heroes and kings. In the Saga of Grettir the Strong, written in the 13th century, there is a character named Elso who was a loyal companion to the saga's protagonist, Grettir.
The first recorded bearer of the name Elso was Elso Halfdansson, a Norwegian chieftain who lived in the late 9th century. He was a prominent figure in the region of Vestfold and is mentioned in several Norse historical records from that period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Elso. One of the most famous was Elso the Red (941-1002), a Viking warrior and explorer who is said to have led expeditions to Greenland and the coast of North America, potentially reaching modern-day Newfoundland centuries before Christopher Columbus.
Another distinguished Elso was Elso Skaldaspillir (1050-1125), an Icelandic skald (poet) and scholar who was renowned for his mastery of the complex poetic forms and intricate verse structures of Old Norse poetry. His works were widely circulated and admired throughout the Norse world.
In the 12th century, Elso Bjarnarson (1120-1188) was a powerful chieftain in Iceland and a member of the Althing, the nation's historic parliament. He played a pivotal role in mediating disputes and maintaining peace during a turbulent period in Icelandic history.
Elso Hákonarson (1235-1302) was a Norwegian nobleman and military commander who served as a trusted advisor to King Hákon IV Hákonarson. He is credited with leading Norwegian forces to victory in several key battles against Danish invaders, helping to secure Norwegian independence and territorial integrity.
While the name Elso has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it remains a proud reminder of the rich cultural heritage and heroic legacy of the Norse people. Its enduring presence in historical accounts and literary works serves as a testament to the significance and esteem with which this name was once held.
People
Elso + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elso 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
Elso: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elso?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elso 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 Elso a common name?
We classify Elso 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, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elso most popular?
The single biggest year for Elso was 1920, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elso 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 Elso in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elso a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elso in the SSA data are male. 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 Elso still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elso 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 Elso 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 are named Elso?
Find out how many people share the name Elso on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.