unisex name · in the US
Elan
- Origin Welsh
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Letters 4
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 5,042
Elan is a unisex name in the United States. It is given to both girls and boys — about 22% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 59 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Elan is a name of Welsh origin.
- Peaked in 2012, when 153 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 56,192 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1963.
Elan Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 69 |
| 1970s | 293 |
| 1980s | 567 |
| 1990s | 595 |
| 2000s | 929 |
| 2010s | 1,412 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 466 |
How Popular Is Elan?
In 2025, Elan was given to 59 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Elan Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Elan Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Élan | Élan is a rare spelling of Elan, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Elan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Elan Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Elan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Elan is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 10% girls · 1,005 babies
- England & Wales Both 58% girls · 142 babies
- Canada Boys' 0% girls · 64 babies
- France Boys' 0% girls · 60 babies
Sibling Names for Elan
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Elan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Elan
How popular is the name Elan?
In 2025, Elan was given to 59 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Elan a girl's or a boy's name?
Elan is used for both girls and boys. About 22% of recorded births with this name are girls.
When was Elan most popular?
Elan peaked in 2012, when 153 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Elan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Elan currently ranks #2,474 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.