Elizabeth
Girl name · #17 in 2025 · Very well-known
Elizabeth is currently the #17 girl name in the United States — 6,760 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #13, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 266 girls born in 2025 was named Elizabeth.
The 145-year story
Elizabeth first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 1,939 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 20,750 girls were named Elizabeth — good for #9 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Elizabeth per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elizabeth against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elizabeth in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elizabeth is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very 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 Elizabeth is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elizabeth is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Elizabeth is most common in WY (18 per 1,000), DC (11 per 1,000), MT (9.6 per 1,000), NH (9.2 per 1,000), MS (9.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 5.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Elizabeth is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Elizabeth
Elizabeth carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
ElizabethLizLizzieBethElizaBettyBetsyLibby
Counted as one name, the Elizabeth family went to about 9,917 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #8, versus #17 for Elizabeth alone.
Names like Elizabeth
Statistically, parents drawn to Elizabeth tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Victoria, Emily, Hannah, Leah, and Abigail.
VictoriaEmilyHannahLeahAbigailMadisonGraceChloe
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elizabeth | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,760 | #17 |
| 2024 | 6,924 | #17 |
| 2023 | 6,616 | #15 |
| 2022 | 7,020 | #15 |
| 2021 | 7,265 | #14 |
| 2020 | 7,308 | #16 |
| 2019 | 7,923 | #14 |
| 2018 | 8,600 | #13 |
| 2017 | 9,004 | #13 |
| 2016 | 9,607 | #13 |
| 2015 | 9,771 | #13 |
| 2014 | 9,600 | #13 |
| 2013 | 9,476 | #10 |
| 2012 | 9,730 | #10 |
| 2011 | 10,109 | #11 |
| 2010 | 10,283 | #12 |
| 2009 | 11,057 | #11 |
| 2008 | 12,027 | #9 |
| 2007 | 13,071 | #10 |
| 2006 | 12,440 | #11 |
| 2005 | 12,743 | #11 |
| 2004 | 13,577 | #10 |
| 2003 | 14,123 | #9 |
| 2002 | 14,621 | #11 |
| 2001 | 14,792 | #9 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elizabeth a popular girl name?
Elizabeth ranked #17 among girls in 2025 with 6,760 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #13.
When was the name Elizabeth most popular?
Elizabeth peaked in 1990, when 20,750 American girls received the name (ranked #9 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Elizabeth?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 266 newborn American girls was named Elizabeth. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
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.