Elijah

Where the name comes from

• Hebrew
  Yahweh is God; often rendered "My God is Yahweh"
  Eliyahu (also Eliyah), from el, "God," and Yah, a short form of Yahweh, the personal name of the God of Israel
  This is a statement of faith, not a description of the child. Standard references word it slightly differently. Some give "Yahweh is God," others "my God is Yahweh" or "the Lord is God." They agree on the two parts: "God" plus the divine name Yah. The prophet Joel's name uses the same two parts in reverse order.
• Greek and Latin
  Same as the Hebrew
  Greek Elias, Latin (H)elias
  Greek translators of the Bible made the form Elias. The New Testament uses it, and so did most of medieval Europe. The English spelling Elijah came later. It appeared when the Bible was translated into English during the Reformation.

Elijah across traditions

• Hebrew Bible. Elijah was a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel about 2,850 years ago. He served during the reigns of King Ahab and King Ahaziah. His story appears in 1 Kings and 2 Kings. He opposed the worship of Baal. On Mount Carmel he challenged Baal's prophets to a contest. At the end of his story, a whirlwind carries him up to heaven and he passes his mantle to Elisha.
• Jewish. At the Passover seder, families pour a cup of wine called Elijah's cup and leave it untouched. They open the door to welcome him. Tradition holds that Elijah will return to announce the coming of the Messiah.
• Christian. In the Gospels, Elijah appears with Moses when Jesus is transfigured. Christians also link him with John the Baptist. Christians honor him on July 20. Early saints named Elias helped spread the name in medieval Europe. One was a Spanish martyr who lived about 1,150 years ago.
• Islamic. Islam honors Elijah as a prophet. His name in Arabic is Ilyas.
• Spanish and Latin American. Spanish Bibles call the prophet Elías. Elías is also a Spanish given name and surname. The name Carmelo comes from Mount Carmel, the site of Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal.
• English and American. In medieval England the name usually took the form Ellis. That form left surnames such as Ellis and Ellison. After the Reformation, English Puritans adopted the spelling Elijah. It became even more common among Puritan families in New England. Today Elijah is also a surname in Welsh, Jewish and African American families.
• United States popularity. The name peaked in the 2020s. Its highest US rank was #4, in 2020 and 2021. It was #7 in 2025. In 2024 it was among the top five boys' names in New Mexico and Florida.

Who carried it

• Elijah the Tishbite (About 2,850 years ago): Prophet of Israel whose story is told in 1 Kings 17–19 and 2 Kings 1–2.
• Elias of Jerusalem (About 1,500 years ago): Patriarch of Jerusalem who used the Latin form of the name.
• Elijah McCoy (1844–1929): Black inventor who patented devices for lubricating engines.
• Elijah Cummings (1951–2019): US congressman from Maryland.
• Elijah Wood (Born 1981): American actor, known as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings films.

Forms in other languages

Elias, Elías, Eliyahu, Eliyah, Eliah, Ilyas, Élie, Elia, Ellis, Elija

Elijah in letter-number systems

Hebrew, Greek and other traditions gave every letter a number, and read meaning into the totals. These are the counts, computed; the readings are inside the Innerverse.