Elham
Borrowed from Persian الهام (elhâm), itself borrowed from Arabic إِلْهَام (ʔilhām, “inspiration”).
Every Elham since 1974 — 445 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elham
Elham is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,325 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1974, 445 American babies have been named Elham — about 77% girls and 23% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 25 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Elham stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elham year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,325 | 9 | #8,444 |
| 2024 | 5 | #15,965 | 14 | #6,272 |
| 2023 | 15 | #7,357 | 10 | #7,882 |
| 2022 | 13 | #8,163 | 12 | #6,934 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,624 | 13 | #6,423 |
| 2020 | 13 | #8,097 | 10 | #7,675 |
| 2019 | 15 | #7,464 | — | — |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,310 | 7 | #9,977 |
| 2017 | 9 | #10,943 | 7 | #9,996 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,094 | — | — |
| 2015 | 9 | #11,163 | 12 | #6,791 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,255 | — | — |
| 2013 | 9 | #11,277 | — | — |
| 2012 | 6 | #15,513 | — | — |
| 2011 | 12 | #9,322 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | 7 | #10,160 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,278 | — | — |
| 2007 | 9 | #11,914 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 9 | #10,949 | — | — |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,627 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | 7 | #12,445 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,578 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 13 | #5,318 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Elham mean?
Borrowed from Persian الهام (elhâm), itself borrowed from Arabic إِلْهَام (ʔilhām, “inspiration”).
How popular is the name Elham in 2025?
Elham ranked #10,325 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elham?
445 babies have been named Elham in the United States since 1974, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elham most popular?
Elham peaked in 2021, when 25 newborns received the name.
Is Elham a boy or girl name?
Elham is used for both: about 77% of babies named Elham have been girls and 23% boys.
Is the name Elham rising or falling?
Elham is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.