Elsie

Updated May 2009

Elsie ~ Noble ~ German ^a

William Holman Hunt,
The School-Girl's Hymn

I needed some inspiration for my next name to feature, and I found it in Hobby Lobby. There was a style of scrapbook paper called Elsie, all done up in pinks and greens with old-fashioned prints, and it was quite adorable. Seeing it there in scripted font, the name looked so charming and sweet.

There's only one problem. Elsie is a name some of us associate with cows. That's Borden's fault, the dairy company who is responsible for creating one of the most recognizable icons in advertising. Elsie the Cow became so popular when it debuted in the 1930s that she even got her own movie. Since then, "Elsie" and "cow" went hand-in-hand. I do wonder why the name Elsie was chosen—was it just a cute name? Or was it already a common name for cows? Either way, Elsie has been tarnished by such a distinct bovine relationship.

But I can get past it. Elsie is a lovely name and is ripe for a revival.

• Famous Elsies include: Elsie MacGill, the first female aircraft designer; and Elsie Carlise, a singer from the 20s.
• Elsie began showing up in the top 1,000 American names in 2005, after a 30-year absence. It's number 740.
• Alternatives to Elsie could include Eliza, Ellie, Elsa, or Kelsie.

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^a It's difficult to pinpoint the correct origin and meaning for Elsie. Derived from Elizabeth, it would be Hebrew in origin, meaning "God is my oath" or "I pledge to God". Elsie is also a familiar form of Elsa, meaning "Noble" in German. Elsa is a Spanish name as well, with the same meaning and nickname. When it comes down to it, many consider Elsie to be German, but it is not limited to German origins.