Elysium
A transcendent realm of perfect bliss in Greek mythology.
Name Census estimates that about 95 living Americans carry the first name Elysium. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 88.5% of registrations being female. The average person named Elysium today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elysium births was 2015 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elysium. 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 Elysium. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
95
~ 1 in 3,607,940 Americans
Peak year
2015
12 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2019 SSA rank
#11,168
Tracked since 2001
Gender
Gender distribution for Elysium
Elysium leans heavily female at 88.5% of total registrations, but 11 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Elysium as a male name
- Ranked #11,168 in 2019
- 6 male births in 2019
- Peak: 2019 (6 births)
Elysium as a female name
- Ranked #12,511 in 2024
- 7 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2015 (12 births)
Popularity
Elysium: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elysium from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 47 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Elysium remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elysium 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 Elysium 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 Elysium
The name Elysium has its origins in ancient Greek mythology and literature. It was the name given to the paradise or idyllic afterlife realm reserved for the souls of heroes and those who lived virtuous lives. The word Elysium is derived from the Ancient Greek word "Elysion pedion," which translates to "Elysian Fields" or "Plains of the Blessed."
The concept of Elysium first appeared in Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which are believed to have been composed around the 8th century BCE. These works described Elysium as a beautiful and peaceful place located at the ends of the earth, where the blessed souls enjoyed an everlasting life of perfect happiness and contentment.
In later Greek literature, Elysium was further developed and described as a lush, verdant land with pleasant meadows, gentle breezes, and a temperate climate. Writers such as Hesiod, Pindar, and Virgil all contributed to the descriptions and depictions of this idyllic realm.
The earliest recorded use of Elysium as a personal name is difficult to pinpoint, as it was not a common name in ancient times. However, there are a few notable individuals throughout history who bore this name or variations of it.
One of the earliest documented individuals named Elysium was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 5th century BCE. Little is known about his life or teachings, but his name is recorded in some ancient texts.
In the 16th century, Elysium Capen (1542-1616) was an English clergyman and author. He wrote several religious works and served as a minister in various parishes.
Elysium Burritt (1802-1838) was an American writer and philanthropist. He is best known for his efforts to promote peace and education, as well as his advocacy for language reform.
In the 19th century, Elysium Everett (1833-1901) was an American author and poet. She wrote several collections of poetry and short stories, many of which explored themes of nature and spirituality.
More recently, Elysium von Kreyfelt (1921-2005) was a German artist and sculptor. She was known for her abstract and avant-garde works, and her pieces are featured in several museums and galleries across Europe.
While the name Elysium may not be widely used today, its rich historical and mythological significance has made it a unique and intriguing choice for those seeking a name with deep cultural roots and associations with paradise and the afterlife.
People
Elysium + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elysium 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
Elysium: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elysium?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 95 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elysium 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 3,607,940 US residents.
Is Elysium a common name?
We classify Elysium as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 96 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elysium most popular?
The single biggest year for Elysium was 2015, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elysium is about 12 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 Elysium in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elysium a female name?
Yes, 88.5% of people registered as Elysium 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 Elysium still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elysium 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 Elysium 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 Elysium?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.