Elna
A girl's name of Scandinavian origin with 4,469 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Elne (a town in Pyrénées-Orientales department, Occitania, France)
Elna is a girl's baby name of Scandinavian origin, a Nordic short form of Eleanor or Helen — ultimately from the Greek Helene, meaning 'torch' or 'shining light.' It has been used across Sweden, Denmark, and Norway for centuries as an elegant abbreviated form.
With 4,469 recorded U.S. births, Elna had its American peak in the early-to-mid 20th century, when Scandinavian immigration brought many Nordic naming traditions to the Midwest. It carries the clean, minimal beauty of Nordic names alongside the warmth of its Greek roots.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Elna's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Elna follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Elna's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Elna has 104+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1883.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 51 | #9875 | ▲ |
| 2010s | 36 | #15171 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 5 | #16519 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 26 | #9890 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 32 | #7769 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 81 | #4960 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 230 | #2416 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 448 | #1288 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 743 | #804 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 1,167 | #678 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 1,139 | #557 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 313 | #683 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 171 | #773 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 27 | #980 | — |
The Story of Elna
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1917, Elna is a name steeped in history. Girls named Elna are most likely born between 1907 and 1927.
How rare is Elna?
Only about 1 in every 360,000 babies born in 2024 was named Elna — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1883, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 1,167 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Elna by the numbers
- Would fill 93 school buses
- Meeting one Elna per day would take 12.2 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(104 years, 1883–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | #9727 |
| 2023 | 11 | #9161 |
| 2022 | 7 | #12619 |
| 2021 | 10 | #9770 |
| 2020 | 13 | #8098 |
| 2019 | 8 | #11670 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16584 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14872 |
| 2015 | 5 | #17232 |
| 2014 | 6 | #15135 |
| 2010 | 6 | #15535 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16519 |
| 1989 | 6 | #11256 |
| 1988 | 6 | #10753 |
| 1987 | 7 | #9060 |
| 1982 | 7 | #8489 |
| 1978 | 5 | #10212 |
| 1975 | 6 | #8288 |
| 1973 | 6 | #7698 |
| 1972 | 8 | #6108 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elna a boy's or girl's name?
When was Elna most popular?
How popular is the name Elna?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1883–2024