Elze
A short form of Elizabeth, a feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "consecrated to God".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Elze. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Elze today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elze births was 1921 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elze. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Elze with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Elze. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1921
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1921 SSA rank
#4,008
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Elze: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Elze 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 Elze 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 Elze
The given name Elze is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is a variant of the name Elsie, which itself is a diminutive form of the name Elisabeth or Elizabeth. The name Elisabeth is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance."
Elze was a relatively common name among German-speaking communities during the medieval period. It was particularly popular in areas such as present-day Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. The name's popularity may have been influenced by its association with the biblical figure Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elze can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Galli, a medieval manuscript from the 9th century. This document mentions an individual named Elza, likely a woman, who was a landowner in the region of present-day Switzerland.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Elze. One of the most famous was Elze von Frauenberg (c. 1260-1324), a German noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the political and social affairs of her time. She was known for her involvement in various disputes and legal battles over land ownership and inheritance rights.
Another individual of note was Elze von Büren (c. 1350-1420), a German abbess who served as the head of the Benedictine convent in Herford, Westphalia. She was renowned for her leadership and governance of the convent during a tumultuous period in the region's history.
In the 16th century, there was Elze Eminger (c. 1500-1570), a German painter and miniaturist. She was one of the few female artists of her time to achieve recognition and was known for her intricate and detailed works, including illuminated manuscripts and portraits.
Moving forward in time, Elze Kunoth (1811-1890) was a German educator and writer. She is remembered for her contributions to the field of education, particularly her work in promoting the education of women and advocating for educational reforms.
Finally, Elze Wernecke (1847-1923) was a German opera singer and contralto. She performed in various opera houses across Europe and was acclaimed for her powerful and expressive voice, particularly in roles from the operas of Richard Wagner.
While the name Elze may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and origins in German-speaking regions serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this given name.
People
Elze + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elze 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
Elze: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elze?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elze 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 Elze a common name?
We classify Elze 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 Elze most popular?
The single biggest year for Elze was 1921, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elze 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 Elze in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elze a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elze 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 Elze still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elze 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 Elze 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 Elze as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.