updated Sept 2015
Elliot ~ The Lord is My God ~ Hebrew, Old French
Elliot comes from Elias, which is the Old French form of Elijah. It's a roundabout biblical name that ultimately means "Yahweh is God".
Spellings
Traditionally, this name is spelled Elliot, but the trend in names ending with two ts has really taken off, and while the spelling Elliott is much more rare it still breaks the top 1,000. Eliot is an alternative spelling as well.
Popularity for Boys and Girls
Some male names, after a period of time, begin to cross over into the realm of female names. This has by no means happened with Elliot, which is currently number 217 (2014) in America for boys, but parents are beginning to eye this name for their daughters, and it's ranked at 756 for girls. The nickname (and full name) Ellie is white-hot right now, and Elliot is a fitting twist. The female character Elliot from Scrubs has also given this name the kind of exposure that can create a new trend.
But parents considering Elliot for their little boy need not fear—this name is not considered a unisex name, let alone a female name. The "elle/ellie" prefix alone does not indicate female, and in fact, it's a great male version of the sound. What's more, Elliot fits into a category of using surnames for a first name, adding to its appeal and versatility.
I've known two people in my life who were named Elliot. One was a boy I went to elementary school with; the other is the daughter of a friend who wanted a trendy boy's name that would be fitting for a girl.
Celebrity Status
Celebrities that bare this name include
- Missy Elliott
- Elliot Yamin (from American Idol)
- Elliot Gould
My nephew's name is Elliot and his mom often calls him "Ells" or "Elsie" I think. It's cute, but I suspect they would never formalize the nickname by using it for school assingments, etc, probably because it seems too, "dare I say it?", "girly."
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