Elliott
Meaning of Elliott
Elliott, pronounced EL-ee-uht (/ˈɛliət/), traces its lineage to medieval England, where it appeared first as a surname derived from the Old French diminutive “Eliot,” itself rooted in Elias—an Anglicised form of the Hebrew Eliyahu, meaning “my God is Yahweh.” The name’s theological pedigree, combined with its crisp Anglo-Norman cadence, facilitated its gradual migration from surname to given name, and by the nineteenth century it was firmly entrenched in English-speaking birth registers for children of all genders. Although literary history often evokes T. S. Eliot’s modernist verse or the tender refrains of singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, contemporary popular culture further broadened its appeal through characters such as young Elliott in Spielberg’s “E.T.,” ensuring the name’s intergenerational recognisability without tethering it to a single archetype. In the United States, Elliott has occupied a remarkably stable niche: after debuting in national records at the close of the nineteenth century, it oscillated within mid-ranking territory before embarking on a modest ascent in the twenty-first, recently settling in the mid-150s range—an indicator of steady favour rather than fleeting fashion. The combination of venerable biblical roots, understated scholarly resonance, and gender-inclusive usability positions Elliott as a timeless yet contemporary choice for parents seeking a name with both historical gravitas and modern versatility.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as EL-ee-uht (/ˈɛliət/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Elliott
| Elliott Smith was an American singer songwriter, born in Omaha and raised in Texas, who rose to fame in Portland for his intimate multi tracked vocals and fingerpicked guitar driven songs. |
| Ephraim Elliott Yamin is an American singer best known for his hit Wait for You and for placing third on American Idol season five. |
| American lawyer, banker, and newspaper owner Elliott Fitch Shepard helped found and later led the New York State Bar Association, married Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, and built Woodlea and Scarborough Presbyterian Church, now part of the Scarborough Historic District. |
| Elliott Gould is an American actor. |
| Elliott Carter was a highly respected American modernist composer whose distinctive rhythmic and harmonic language earned him two Pulitzer Prizes for string quartets. |
| Elliott Erwitt was a French born American advertising and documentary photographer known for black and white candid images of ironic and absurd moments in everyday life who joined Magnum Photos in 1953. |
| Elliott James Murphy is an American rock singer and songwriter as well as a novelist record producer and journalist. |
| Elliott Randall is an American session guitarist best known for solos on the Steely Dan song Reelin in the Years and the Irene Cara hit Fame, the former often ranked among the greatest. |
| Elliott Nugent was an American actor, playwright, writer, and director. |
| Elliott Warren Rice was a Union general who led an infantry brigade in the pivotal Atlanta Campaign of 1864. |
| Elliott Lorenz Sorge was a bishop in the Episcopal Church who served in Brazil and the Diocese of Easton. |
| Elliott Northcott served as a U.S. Court of Appeals judge on the Fourth Circuit. |
| Elliott J. Clawson was an American screenwriter who wrote more than 80 films from 1913 to 1929 and had four films nominated for Best Writing at the 1930 Academy Awards. |
| Elliott Porter is a British racing cyclist. |
