About Elliott
Elliott is an English surname turned given name, descended from a medieval familiar form of Elias. Through Elias and Elijah, it carries the Hebrew meaning my God is Yahweh. Its modern associations include the boy in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and actor Elliott Gould.
A medieval name behind a surname
Elias is a form of Elijah used in several languages and in the Greek New Testament. A diminutive of medieval Elias developed into the surname behind Elliott. The given name thus reaches its biblical ancestor through several stages of ordinary personal and family naming.
Elliot, Eliot, and Elyot belong to the wider spelling family. Elliott's two l's and two t's give it the fullest familiar English written form, although the extra letters do not add syllables. Its relationship with Elijah is historical rather than immediately obvious from the ending.
English Elliott is EL-ee-ut, with three syllables and stress on the first. In quick speech the last two vowels can come together lightly. Eli could be used as a suggested shortening, but the established full name already has a compact opening and a soft finish.
Elliott and an extraterrestrial friend
Henry Thomas plays Elliott in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, released in 1982. Elliott is a lonely boy in suburban California who forms a bond with an alien stranded on Earth.
As the friendship develops, Elliott and his siblings try to help E.T. return home. Their efforts bring childhood loyalty into conflict with the adults pursuing the visitor. The name belongs to the human child at the center of the story, rather than to its extraordinary guest.
That gives Elliott a particularly recognizable film association: an ordinary boy's name attached to a story of secrecy, friendship, and a difficult farewell. The suburban setting makes the unusual encounter feel rooted in a child's everyday world.
Elliott Gould in MASH
Elliott Gould supplies a different cinematic connection. He plays Trapper John McIntyre in Robert Altman's MASH, released in 1970, opposite Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye Pierce.
The film's irreverent surgeons behave with an abrasiveness that differs from the later television versions of the characters. Gould's role is part of a darker comedy about military life, professional skill, and the ways people respond to a violent setting.
Gould initially discussed another role, Duke, with Altman before taking Trapper John. He felt more confident playing Trapper John than performing Duke's Southern accent, and the director agreed to the change.
American use for boys and girls
Elliott has grown considerably in the United States. Boys increased from 405 in 2000 to 2,287 in 2025, when it ranked #160. Its largest boys' count was 2,453 in 2019.
Girls also have a substantial recent record: 489 received the name in 2025, ranking #599. Their peak was 673 in 2019. The shared spelling has therefore developed a modern American life for both sexes.
Sources & methodologyReferences, data & attribution
Meaning and history draw on the references below. American figures use the local Social Security Administration series for this exact spelling and sex; counts below five are omitted. Existing Wiktionary content is available under CC BY-SA. Nickname suggestions are identified in the text.
- Wiktionary: Elliott (English)
- Social Security Administration: national name data
- Wikidata: Elliott Gould
- Wikidata: Elliott Smith
- Wikidata: Elliott Erwitt
- Wikidata: Elliott Carter
- Wikidata: Elliott Coues
- Universal: E.T.
- TCM: MASH
Wiktionary material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
How popular is Elliott?
In 2025, Elliott ranked #160 among boys in the United States, with 2,287 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1880; its largest annual count was 2,453 in 2019. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.