Elihu
Elihu is a masculine given name. Bearers of the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Elihu
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Elihu is a masculine given name. Bearers of the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Elihu
Elihu first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1928, when 26 Elihus were born — ranking #1,448 that year. As of 2026, Elihu ranks #5,654 for baby boys with 16 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 1K Elihus have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Elihu
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Elihu Abrahams (1927–2018), American theoretical physicist
- Elihu Anthony (1818–1905), American alcalde, blacksmith, industrialist, abolitionist
- Elihu Burritt (1811–1879), American philanthropist, linguist, and social activist
- Elihu Doty (1809–1864), American missionary to China
- Elihu Embree (1782–1820), American abolitionist and publisher of the first newspaper in the United States devoted exclusively to that cause
- Elihu Goodsell (1806–1880), American politician
- Elihu Harris (born 1947), mayor of Oakland, California, United States
- Elihu B. Hayes (1848–1903), American shoe manufacturer, newspaper owner, and politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Elihu
Phonetically similar names — useful when Elihu 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 Elihu
What does the name Elihu mean?
How popular is Elihu in 2026?
When was Elihu most popular?
In which U.S. states is Elihu most popular?
Is Elihu a unisex name?
What names go well with Elihu?
About the name Elihu
Elihu is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Elihu's peak popularity came in 1928 when it ranked #533. Use the chart and map above to compare Elihu's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1928 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.