girl's name
Elisabeth
ay-lee-za-BET
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 4
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 218,707
the United States
#926
2025 births
Elisabeth is a girl's name meaning God is my oath, and the s-spelling is the older one — it follows the Greek and German, while the English z is a later change. Our data marks it reviving.
- Elisabeth is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in France in 1953, when 4,460 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in France.
- Today about 1 in 3,803 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Elisabeth over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 9,845 |
| 1910s | 9,125 |
| 1920s | 8,725 |
| 1930s | 7,835 |
| 1940s | 19,730 |
| 1950s | 42,380 |
| 1960s | 34,275 |
| 1970s | 18,145 |
| 1980s | 6,180 |
| 1990s | 2,900 |
| 2000s | 1,495 |
| 2010s | 1,680 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,250 |
What Elisabeth means
Elisabeth means God is my oath, or my God is an oath. The Hebrew joins a form of the divine name to a word for a sworn promise, so the name is a declaration rather than a description.
Where Elisabeth comes from
Elisabeth is the Greek Elisabet rendering the Hebrew Elisheva — el, God, joined to sheva, an oath, a word bound in Hebrew idiom to the number seven because oaths were sworn sevenfold. The s-spelling follows the Greek and remains standard in German, French and Scandinavian use; the English z arrived much later. Elizabeth in Luke is the mother of John the Baptist and the cousin of Mary. The name's English standing rests on Elizabeth I, whose forty-five-year reign made it the default royal name for four centuries.
Elisabeth in use
Elisabeth peaked in France in 1953, when 4,460 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It now ranks 357th in France on 220 births, 926th in the United States on 282, 1046th in England and Wales on 33 and 1070th in Ireland, across 218,707 lifetime births in five of the seven markets we track. France gives it much the strongest position, which fits the s-spelling being continental rather than English.
How popular is Elisabeth?
In 2025, Elisabeth was given to 155 babies in France, ranking #357 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Elisabeth is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Elisabeth is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Élisabeth | Élisabeth is Elisabeth written with an acute accent, used in France, where it ranks #634. | 1,025 |
Names that peaked alongside Elisabeth
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Elisabeth also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Elisabeth over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Elisabeth
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Elisabeth in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Elisabeth
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Elisabeth — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Elisabeth
What does the name Elisabeth mean?
God is my oath, from the Hebrew Elisheva.
Is it Elisabeth or Elizabeth?
The s-spelling is older and follows the Greek; it remains standard in German, French and Scandinavian use.
Why is an oath linked to seven?
Hebrew idiom binds the two — oaths were sworn sevenfold, and the words share a root.
Is Elisabeth coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, at 357th in France.
How popular is the name Elisabeth?
In 2025, Elisabeth was given to 155 babies in France, ranking #357 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Elisabeth a girl's or a boy's name?
Elisabeth is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Elisabeth?
Elisabeth has 4 syllables.
When was Elisabeth most popular?
Elisabeth peaked in 1953, when 4,460 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Elisabeth?
Elisabeth is usually shortened to Elise, Lisbeth, Lisa and Liesl.
Is Elisabeth a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Elisabeth currently ranks #287 in France. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.