Boy · #12,301 in 2026

Enlil

Enlil, later known as Elil and Ellil, is an ancient Mesopotamian god associated with wind, air, earth, and storms. He is first attested as the chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but he was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Hurrians.

  • Sumerian Mythology
  • Semitic Mythology
Current Rank
#12,301
Peak Rank
#9,752 (2019)
Total Babies
23
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2017
First Year
2024
Last Year
2019
Peak Year
#9752
Peak Rank
23
Total Count
4
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Enlil

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Enlil, later known as Elil and Ellil, is an ancient Mesopotamian god associated with wind, air, earth, and storms. He is first attested as the chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but he was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Hurrians.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Sumerian Mythology
  • Semitic Mythology
Etymology
Enlil's name comes from ancient Sumerian EN (𒂗), meaning "lord" and LÍL (𒆤), the meaning of which is contentious, and which has sometimes been interpreted as meaning winds as a weather phenomenon (making Enlil a weather and sky god, "Lord Wind" or "Lord Storm"), or alternatively as signifying a spirit or phantom whose presence may be felt as stirring of the air, or possibly as representing a partial Semitic loanword rather than a Sumerian word at all. Enlil's name is not a genitive construction, suggesting that Enlil was seen as the personification of LÍL rather than merely the cause of LÍL.

The Story of Enlil

American parents first put Enlil on the record books as a baby boy name in 2017, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 7 Enlils were born — ranking #9,752 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 52% of all recorded Enlils. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 23 Enlils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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Top 10
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No data

Variants & Related Forms of Enlil

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Enlil. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Elil
  • Ellil

Names that sound like Enlil

Phonetically similar names — useful when Enlil is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Inal
  • Inla
  • Inel
  • Inshell
  • English
  • Inhale
  • Inlaw
  • Inlay
  • Englisch
  • Inly
  • Enloe
  • Enlow

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Enlil

What does the name Enlil mean?
Enlil, later known as Elil and Ellil, is an ancient Mesopotamian god associated with wind, air, earth, and storms. He is first attested as the chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but he was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Hurrians.
What is the origin of the name Enlil?
Enlil has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology.
How popular is Enlil in 2026?
In 2026, Enlil ranks #12,301 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Enlil most popular?
Enlil reached its peak popularity in 2019, ranking #9,752 that year with 7 babies given the name.
Is Enlil a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Enlil is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Enlil?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Enlil include Lefty, Leonzo, Mikele. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Enlil?
Common variants and related forms of Enlil include Elil, Ellil. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Enlil

Enlil is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2017 and has accumulated 23 births in the dataset. Enlil's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #9,752. Use the chart and map above to compare Enlil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.