Eloise
Meaning of Eloise
Eloise is the French form of Héloïse. Name dictionaries trace it to a Germanic compound whose elements mean hale or healthy and wide, and generally give the meaning as healthy or wide. A few sources also suggest a link with holy, so the original sense is not fully settled.
It is pronounced EL-oh-eez, with the stress on the first syllable, in both British and American English; the variant spelling Elouise is said the same way.
Héloïse, the twelfth-century scholar and abbess who corresponded with Peter Abelard, is the name's best-known historical bearer. In children's literature it belongs to the precocious six-year-old of Kay Thompson's Eloise books, set at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Among notable Americans, Eloise Wilkin is remembered for her illustrations in many Little Golden Books.
Eloise has been one of the fastest-rising girls' names in the United States. It ranked 527th in 2010, when 553 girls received it, entered the top 100 in 2022, and stood at 49th in 2025 with 4,251 births, more than in any earlier year. Before that resurgence its high point was 164th in 1921, and it fell as low as 4,208th in 1991.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as EL-oh-eez (/ˈɛləʊˌiːz/)
American English
- Pronunced as EL-oh-eez (/ˈɛloʊˌiz/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Eloise
| Eloise Greenfield was an American poet and writer of books for children and biographies, celebrated for her rhythmic style and positive portrayals of African American life. |
| Eloise Margaret Wilkin was an American illustrator celebrated for Little Golden Books, known for glowing depictions of babies and families that helped make the series beloved and collectible. |
| Eloise Jarvis McGraw was an American author of books for children and young adults. |
| Eloise Gomez Reyes is a Democratic California politician who defeated Cheryl Brown in 2016, later served as Assembly majority leader, and since 2024 has been state senator for the 29th district in the San Bernardino area. |
