How to say it
EL · li · ot
ˈɛl.i.ət
Masculine
Elliot
Yahweh is God
What it means
Originally a medieval English diminutive of Elias (the English form of Elijah, Hebrew 'Yahweh is God'). Now used as a standalone given name; flipped strongly unisex in the 2010s.
Elliot started as a medieval English diminutive of Elias (the English form of Elijah, from the Hebrew Eliyahu, 'Yahweh is God'). The diminutive crossed into surname use as Eliot, Elliot, Elliott, and Eliott (each spelling has its proponents). T.S. Eliot (the poet) and George Eliot (the novelist whose real name was Mary Ann Evans) gave the surname literary anchor. As a first name Elliot has surged since the 2000s; the unisex shift accelerated with Elliot Page's coming out as trans-masculine in 2020. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's Elliott (Henry Thomas, 1982) is the strongest pop-culture anchor. It's been in the US top 200 since 2010.
How to spell Elliot
The standard spelling is Elliot. Common variants include Elliott, Eliot, Eliott, but Elliot is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #150 in 2022, currently #151 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Elliot, Elliott, Eliot, and Eliott all circulate. Elliot (one L, one T) is the dominant US spelling; Elliott (one L, double T) is also common. Eliot (the T.S. and George Eliot spelling) is rarer.
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.
- T.S. Eliot Anglo-American modernist poet, The Waste Land (Eliot as surname)
- George Eliot Pen name of Victorian novelist Mary Ann Evans, Middlemarch
- Elliott (E.T.) Henry Thomas's character in Steven Spielberg's E.T., 1982
Spelling variants
- Elliott
- Eliot
- Eliott
Names with the same feeling
See Elliot from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Elliot mean?
- Originally a medieval English diminutive of Elias (the English form of Elijah, Hebrew 'Yahweh is God'). Now used as a standalone given name; flipped strongly unisex in the 2010s.
- What does Elliot mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Elliot means "Yahweh is God." Elliot started as a medieval English diminutive of Elias (the English form of Elijah, from the Hebrew Eliyahu, 'Yahweh is God'). The diminutive crossed into surname use as Eliot, Elliot, Elliott, and Eliott (each spelling has its proponents). T.S. Eliot (the poet) and George Eliot (the novelist whose real name was Mary Ann Evans) gave the surname literary anchor. As a first name Elliot has surged since the 2000s; the unisex shift accelerated with Elliot Page's coming out as trans-masculine in 2020. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's Elliott (Henry Thomas, 1982) is the strongest pop-culture anchor. It's been in the US top 200 since 2010.
- Is Elliot short for Elias?
- Yes. Elliot is a short form of Elias, and it carries the same meaning, "Yahweh is God." These days many parents use Elliot as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Elliot?
- Elliot is pronounced ˈɛl.i.ət. Say it as EL-li-ot, with the stress on the "el" syllable.
- How do you spell Elliot?
- The standard spelling is Elliot. Common spelling variants include Elliott, Eliot, Eliott.
- Is Elliot a boy or girl name?
- Elliot is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Elliot?
- Elliot ranked #151 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.