Elias
Say it: eh-LY-us/ɪˈlaɪ.əs/
BoyMeans my God is Yahweh5 letters3 syllables
#185
in Ireland (2025)
#184 with spellings combined
26
babies in 2025
#184
best rank (2025)
250
babies since 2002
Up 321
10-year rank change
Elias through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #184 |
| 2024 | 20 | #220 |
| 2023 | 17 | #248 |
| 2022 | 12 | #338 |
| 2021 | 22 | #219 |
| 2020 | 16 | #271 |
| 2019 | 17 | #262 |
| 2018 | 11 | #342 |
| 2017 | 16 | #281 |
| 2016 | 19 | #254 |
| 2015 | 6 | #505 |
| 2014 | 12 | #347 |
| 2013 | 9 | #404 |
| 2012 | 5 | #548 |
| 2011 | 6 | #490 |
| 2010 | 8 | #422 |
| 2009 | 8 | #404 |
| 2008 | 6 | #472 |
| 2007 | 4 | #527 |
| 2006 | 5 | #423 |
| 2002 | 5 | #348 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Elias mean?
My God is Yahweh
Greek form of the Hebrew Elijah, used in the New Testament.
Say it right
ehLYus
Many families say EL-ee-as or eh-LEE-as, the forms heard across much of Europe.
The story of Elias
Elias is the Greek form of Elijah, the Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Books of Kings. His Hebrew name is usually explained as “my God is Yahweh”. When the Bible was written down in Greek, Elijah became Elias, and that is the form used in the New Testament.
Because Elijah matters to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, the name has spread into many languages. Elias is a familiar first name across much of Europe and the Middle East, as well as in the English-speaking world.
In Ireland Elias first appears in the CSO records in 2002. For years it was given to only a handful of boys, but it has been climbing, and 2025 was its best year so far, with 26 boys and a rank of number 184. It reached its best rank in Northern Ireland the same year, at number 175. Elijah and Eli, which come from the same root, are counted as separate names.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Elias (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Elias
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Elias | 26 | 250 |
In Northern Ireland
#175 in 2025 with 12 babies. Best rank #175 (2025); 96 babies since 2008.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.