Elinor
Girl name · #1502 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
In 2025, 142 baby girls were named Elinor, placing it at #1502 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1409, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,676 girls born in 2025 was named Elinor.
Babies named Elinor per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Elinor first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 656 girls were named Elinor — good for #257 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elinor against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elinor in class?
Elinor scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Elinor is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elinor is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Elinors were NY (12), TX (12), CA (11), FL (10), TN (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Elinor
Statistically, parents drawn to Elinor tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Elenor, Ester, Eleanore, Eris, and Agatha.
ElenorEsterEleanoreErisAgathaHellenLeoraEulalia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elinor | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 142 | #1500 |
| 2024 | 146 | #1492 |
| 2023 | 164 | #1373 |
| 2022 | 176 | #1336 |
| 2021 | 172 | #1312 |
| 2020 | 144 | #1485 |
| 2019 | 162 | #1383 |
| 2018 | 159 | #1406 |
| 2017 | 165 | #1392 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1371 |
| 2015 | 165 | #1409 |
| 2014 | 144 | #1519 |
| 2013 | 120 | #1725 |
| 2012 | 134 | #1612 |
| 2011 | 99 | #1982 |
| 2010 | 105 | #1913 |
| 2009 | 96 | #2102 |
| 2008 | 102 | #2032 |
| 2007 | 83 | #2311 |
| 2006 | 75 | #2459 |
| 2005 | 65 | #2607 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2396 |
| 2003 | 64 | #2522 |
| 2002 | 71 | #2288 |
| 2001 | 57 | #2635 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elinor a popular girl name?
Elinor ranked #1502 among girls in 2025 with 142 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1409.
When was the name Elinor most popular?
Elinor peaked in 1920, when 656 American girls received the name (ranked #257 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Elinor?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,676 newborn American girls was named Elinor. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.