Total births
8,909
Girls' name · since 1934
Elana
Elana has 8,909 recorded births since 1934 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2006 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1876
- among girls today
- 8,909
- born since 1934
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Elana is the #1876 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 8,909 recorded since 1934.
Social Security Administration records show Elana recorded 8,909 times among girls since 1934, holding rank #1876 nationally today, ahead of 89% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1934 to 2025.
- #1876 among girls today
- 8,909 born since 1934
- 2000s peak decade
- 89% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Elana is currently the #1876 girls' name in America, more common than 89% of girls - 8,909 born since 1934, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1876
- among girls today
- 8,909
- born since 1934
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Elana vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1876
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 89% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Elana was born in this single decade.
2006
Single peak year
219 babies were named Elana in 2006 - its busiest year on record.
How Elana compares
8,909 Top 10% higher than 90% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Elana's all-time total is 23x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elana | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,909 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 219 | 48 | 19,840 |
Elana's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Elana's SSA record in two at 1983 and the more recent half accounts for 71% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 29%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1934, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 2006 peak of 219, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Elana at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2006
Current rank
#1,876
Active since
1934
Elana popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1934–2025
- Peak year (2006)
- 219
- Annual births at peak, across 92 years of records
Elana by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Elana's strongest decade.
1,762 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Elana births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 6
1930s
6 births
- 1940s 163
1940s
163 births
- 1950s 204
1950s
204 births
- 1960s
1960s
879 births
- 1970s
1970s
953 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,332 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,494 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,762 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,471 births
- 2020s 645
2020s
645 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,762 births (20% of all-time use).
How Elana compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Elana's total volume
Elana vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Elana by state
Where Elana concentrates geographically, total births since 1934
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 1,296 | 14.5% |
| #2 | California | | 885 | 9.9% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 395 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Florida | | 347 | 3.9% |
| #5 | Texas | | 329 | 3.7% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 310 | 3.5% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 306 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 279 | 3.1% |
New York share of Elana's total US births 14.5%
Even split
1,296 of 8,909 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 31 reporting states.
Elana appears in 31 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elana? ▼
8,909 babies have been named Elana since 1934. It currently ranks #1876 among girls. The peak year was 2006 with 219 births.
When was Elana most popular? ▼
Elana was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,762 total births. The single peak year was 2006.
Where is Elana most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elana are New York (1,296 births), California (885 births), Illinois (395 births).
How long has the name Elana been used? ▼
Records for Elana go back to 1934, giving 92 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Elana? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elaine, Elaina, Elayna, Elayne, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Elana's data
- Elana's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,762 total births) through the 2020s (645) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Elanas (1,296 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Elana
Nearby Names Like Elana
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elana
Elaine Girl
#368 262,890 births
Elaina Girl
#254 32,220 births
Elayna Girl
#1427 5,251 births
Elayne Girl
#3649 4,114 births
Ela Girl
#1719 2,846 births
Compare Elana side by side: Elana vs Elaine Elana vs Elaina Elana vs Elayna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elana
Joni #1875
28,815 births · Peak 1956
Emmi #1877
2,335 births · Peak 2018
Shannon #1874
295,782 births · Peak 1970
Ally #1878
10,230 births · Peak 1998
Santana #1873
5,941 births · Peak 1985
Ruhi #1879
1,333 births · Peak 2020
Noella #1872
3,215 births · Peak 2018
Akari #1880
1,132 births · Peak 2023
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1934–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elana: #1876 Girls' Name - 8,909 Births, Peak 2006." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elana. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Elana draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.