Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Elias

Elias is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Elijah and essentially comes from the same Biblical origin. Elijah appears in the first and second Book of Kings. He was an important Israelite prophet in the 9th century B.C. whose purpose was to call Israelites back to the worship of one God (Yahweh) and away from the pagan cults which were gaining popularity at the time. Elijah was called upon by God himself. Fittingly, the name Elijah comes from the Hebrew meaning “Yahweh is God” or “Jehovah is Lord.” He is thought to have played an important role in maintaining the Jewish religion by recognizing just one God. In 2 Kings 2:11, Elijah is taken up to the heavens by a chariot of fire and seen no more. According to Jewish tradition, Elijah is still roaming the earth and will appear when it comes time to announce the Messiah. In Christian tradition, this is probably why they so closely associate John the Baptist (who announced the arrival of Jesus) with Elijah. Elias (the Hellenized ancient Greek form of Elijah) has been around as long as Elijah and for awhile replaced the name in the Latin/English versions of the Bible. Like Elijah, Elias is experiencing a comeback in usage in modern times.

All About the Baby Name – Elias

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME ELIAS

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME ELIAS

The name Elias closely mimics the naming patterns and popularity of Elijah. Both names have been around and in use since early America, and certainly be the time the government began tracking naming trends in 1880. Elias experiences moderate usage at the turn of the 20th century and gradually declines in usage as the decades ensue. The name hits an all-time low in the late 1950s and then reverses its course. While not as popular as Elijah or Eli on the list of most-favored boys’ names, Elias is holding its own on the charts. The name is slowly creeping its way toward a position on the Top 100 list; we’ll have to wait a couple of years given its current trajectory to see if that happens. Elias is a good alternative to Elijah for parents to consider. It’s not as trendy or overused and it has a sweeter sound. There are five states where the name has hit the Top 100: New Mexico, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, California and Vermont. Apparently, these states got the memo – Elias is just plain adorable for little boys, grows into a “cool” name for teenagers, and sounds distinguished on adults. If that isn’t enough, Elias is the middle name of Walt Disney!

Quick Facts

ON ELIAS

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Greek

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

113

PRONUNCIATION:

e-LIE-us

SIMPLE MEANING:

Yahweh is God

Characteristics

OF ELIAS

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Elias

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ELIAS

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Elias

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ELIAS

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Elias


Popular Songs

ON ELIAS

Elias
a song by Wolfsheim

Famous People

NAMED ELIAS

Elias Canetti (Nobel Prize winner for literature)
Elias James Corey (Nobel Prize winner for chemistry)
Elias Disney (Canadian businessman and father of Walt Disney)
Elias Howe (inventor of the sewing machine)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ELIAS

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Elias

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ELIAS

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Elias