Elias: Name Meaning, Origin, & Popularity

Boy name origins & meanings

What does Elias mean and stand for?

Meaning:

Hebrew: "Yahweh, Jehovah is my God"
Greek: "The Lord is my God"

Gender: Male

Syllables: 3

Pronunciation: The name Elias is pronounced eh-LIE-us

The name Elias is of Hebrew origin and means "the Lord is God" or "Yahweh is God". Elias is a form of Elijah in various languages and appears in the Greek New Testament.

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

Greek, Spanish (Elías), Catalan, Portuguese, English, Welsh, French (Élias), German, Dutch, Hungarian (Éliás), Czech (Eliáš), and Jewish: from a medieval personal name, the New Testament Greek form of Hebrew Eliyahu "Jehovah is God" (Anglicized as Elijah in the Old Testament of the King James Bible). This name was borne by a Biblical prophet, but its popularity among Christians in the Middle Ages was a result of its adoption by various early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Syracuse and a 9th-century Spanish martyr.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Vince D'Onofrio

Elias in Pop Culture

Do you know these fictional characters that share this first name?

Elias Thompson from Boardwalk Empire - A corrupt but complex Atlantic City treasurer.
Elias "Eli" Clark from House of Cards - A savvy political operator and adviser.
Elias Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series - The largely unseen father of the iconic Jason Voorhees.
Elias Bogan from X-Men comics - A wealthy, sinister mutant with psychic abilities.
Elias Koteas from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Though not a fictional character, Koteas plays Casey Jones, a critical ally to the turtles.

Popularity of the Name Elias

According to Social Security Administration data, Elias has seen a steady rise in popularity over the years, currently ranking as the 67th most popular name in the United States. This name has a rich historical background with notable figures such as Elias Howe, the inventor of the sewing machine, and Elias Canetti, a Nobel Prize-winning author.

In the realm of entertainment, actors like Elias Koteas and Elias Toufexis have brought prominence to the name. Additionally, fictional characters named Elias have appeared in various works such as the popular TV series Person of Interest and the video game Devil May Cry. The name Elias continues to maintain its appeal both historically and in contemporary culture.