How to say it
e · LISE
/ɪˈliːz/
Feminine
Elise
God is my oath
What it means
French short of Elisabeth (Elizabeth), from Hebrew Elisheva. Beethoven's Bagatelle in A minor (Für Elise) made the name globally familiar to anyone who has touched a piano.
Elise is the French short of Elisabeth, ultimately from the Hebrew Elisheva ('my God is an oath'). Beethoven's Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 (Für Elise, c. 1810) is one of the most-played piano pieces in the world; the identity of the original 'Elise' is debated by musicologists (possibly Therese Malfatti, possibly Elisabeth Röckel). The name graduated to a standalone given name in 19th-century Europe and 20th-century US. It's been in the US top 300 since 2013. Common shorts aren't common — Elise is already a short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #152 in 2012, currently #223 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
Standard US: eh-LEES (two syllables, stress on the second). The French Élise is closer to ay-LEEZ.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Für Elise Beethoven's Bagatelle in A minor, c. 1810, one of the most-played piano pieces in the world
Spelling variants
- Élise
- Elisa
- Eliza
Names with the same feeling
See Elise from another angle
By meaning
By style