Elham
Elham is a unisex name derived from the Arabic name Ilham which means "inspiration". Different spellings include İlham or İlhami in Turkic languages. Ellie is sometimes used as a shortened term/form of Elham.
Meaning & Origin of Elham
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Elham is a unisex name derived from the Arabic name Ilham which means "inspiration". Different spellings include İlham or İlhami in Turkic languages. Ellie is sometimes used as a shortened term/form of Elham.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Elham
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Elham as a girl name dates back to 1974, when 6 babies received it. 2019 was its biggest year on record, with 15 newborns named Elham — #7,340 in the national rankings. About 24% of every Elham on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Elham ranks #9,552 for girls with 7 births, gradually falling (-13%). All told, over 350 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Elham on the record books as a boy name in 2009, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 14 Elhams were born — ranking #6,171 that year. About 72% of every Elham on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Elham ranks #6,353 for boys with 13 births, rising sharply (+34% over the past five years). All told, over 118 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Elham
Phonetically similar names — useful when Elham is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Elham
What does the name Elham mean?
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About the name Elham
Elham is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 350 births in the dataset. Elham's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #4,679. Use the chart and map above to compare Elham's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2019 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.