How to say it
EL · sie
ˈɛl.si
Feminine
Elsie
God is my oath
What it means
Originally a Scottish short for Elspeth (the Scots form of Elizabeth). Now a standalone given name. Stranger Things's Will-and-Eleven creator gave the name a Gen-Alpha reboot.
Elsie started as a Scottish short form of Elspeth, the Scots form of Elizabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'). The English-speaking world adopted Elsie as a standalone given name in the 19th century. Elsie Dinsmore (the heroine of a long-running American children's-book series, 1867 onward) and Elsie the Cow (the Borden Dairy mascot since 1939) anchor different generations. The Crown's Elspeth and the broader vintage-revival wave have brought the name back. It entered the US top 300 in 2015. Single syllable, no shorter form.
How to spell Elsie
The standard spelling is Elsie. Common variants include Elsi, Elsy, but Elsie is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #31 in 1896, currently #123 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
- Pop culture
Elsie the Cow (the Borden Dairy mascot since 1939) is a small American grandparental cultural anchor; the modern usage is mostly the vintage-revival wave.
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.
- Elsie Dinsmore Heroine of Martha Finley's American children's-book series, 1867 onward
Spelling variants
- Elsi
- Elsy
Names with the same feeling
See Elsie from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Elsie mean?
- Originally a Scottish short for Elspeth (the Scots form of Elizabeth). Now a standalone given name. Stranger Things's Will-and-Eleven creator gave the name a Gen-Alpha reboot.
- What does Elsie mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Elsie means "God is my oath." Elsie started as a Scottish short form of Elspeth, the Scots form of Elizabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'). The English-speaking world adopted Elsie as a standalone given name in the 19th century. Elsie Dinsmore (the heroine of a long-running American children's-book series, 1867 onward) and Elsie the Cow (the Borden Dairy mascot since 1939) anchor different generations. The Crown's Elspeth and the broader vintage-revival wave have brought the name back. It entered the US top 300 in 2015. Single syllable, no shorter form.
- Is Elsie short for Elspeth?
- Yes. Elsie is a short form of Elspeth, and it carries the same meaning, "God is my oath." These days many parents use Elsie as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Elsie?
- Elsie is pronounced ˈɛl.si. Say it as EL-sie, with the stress on the "el" syllable.
- How do you spell Elsie?
- The standard spelling is Elsie. Common spelling variants include Elsi, Elsy.
- Is Elsie a boy or girl name?
- Elsie is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Elsie?
- Elsie ranked #123 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.