Elian
Boy name · #147 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Elian? In official American birth records, Elian has been tracked continuously since 1996, giving it 29 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 2,448 baby boys were named Elian, placing it at #147 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #687, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 735 boys born in 2025 was named Elian.
The 29-year story
Elian first appears in the Social Security records in 1996, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 2,448 babies and a rank of #147. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Elian per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elian is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Elian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elian is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Elian is most common in NM (3.5 per 1,000), RI (3.5 per 1,000), AZ (3.2 per 1,000), TX (2.9 per 1,000), CO (2.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.7 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Elian is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Elian
Statistically, parents drawn to Elian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lian, Callan, Milan, Caspian, and Eithan.
LianCallanMilanCaspianEithanCillianCassianKian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,448 | #147 |
| 2024 | 1,499 | #237 |
| 2023 | 1,487 | #235 |
| 2022 | 1,128 | #299 |
| 2021 | 890 | #366 |
| 2020 | 877 | #355 |
| 2019 | 872 | #367 |
| 2018 | 771 | #411 |
| 2017 | 478 | #568 |
| 2016 | 450 | #598 |
| 2015 | 365 | #687 |
| 2014 | 354 | #700 |
| 2013 | 312 | #743 |
| 2012 | 253 | #844 |
| 2011 | 202 | #974 |
| 2010 | 273 | #793 |
| 2009 | 247 | #861 |
| 2008 | 267 | #822 |
| 2007 | 229 | #881 |
| 2006 | 184 | #1000 |
| 2005 | 213 | #863 |
| 2004 | 207 | #857 |
| 2003 | 179 | #921 |
| 2002 | 206 | #816 |
| 2001 | 271 | #670 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Elian?
In official American birth records, the name Elian first appeared in 1996 (over 29 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 29 years.
Is Elian a popular boy name?
Elian ranked #147 among boys in 2025 with 2,448 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #687.
When was the name Elian most popular?
Elian peaked in 2025, when 2,448 American boys received the name (ranked #147 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Elian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 735 newborn American boys was named Elian. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.