Elonda
A feminine name of obscure origin, possibly derived from a Native American language.
Name Census estimates that about 500 living Americans carry the first name Elonda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elonda today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elonda births was 1971 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elonda. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
500
~ 1 in 685,509 Americans
Peak year
1971
33 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
1989 SSA rank
#8,991
Tracked since 1950
Census
Elonda in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 503 people with the first name Elonda, which placed it at #20,514 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#20,514
National first-name rank
People counted
503
503 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.2
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
71.6% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elonda
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Elonda is Black at 71.6%. The next largest groups are White (21.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Elonda described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Elonda at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American71.6% · 360
- White21.5% · 108
- Two or more races3.4% · 17
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 6
Popularity
Elonda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elonda from the 1950s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 256 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Elonda remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elonda by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Elonda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Elondas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Illinois, California, New York recorded the most babies named Elonda, while New York, California, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Elonda
The name Elonda is believed to have originated in the African region of Burkina Faso, specifically among the Mossi people. It is derived from the Mòoré language spoken by the Mossi ethnic group. The name is thought to be a combination of the words "elo," meaning "wisdom," and "nda," meaning "child" or "offspring." Thus, the name Elonda can be interpreted to mean "wise child" or "child of wisdom."
Historically, the Mossi people have a rich cultural heritage that dates back centuries, and their naming traditions often reflect their values and beliefs. The emphasis on wisdom in the name Elonda may be a reflection of the importance placed on knowledge and understanding within the Mossi culture.
While there are no recorded instances of the name Elonda appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its roots can be traced back to the traditional naming practices of the Mossi people in Burkina Faso. The earliest known records of individuals bearing this name are likely to be found in oral histories and genealogical records passed down through generations within the Mossi community.
Throughout history, a few notable individuals have carried the name Elonda, although their stories and accomplishments may not be widely documented. One such individual was Elonda Ouédraogo, a prominent Burkinabé artist and sculptor born in the mid-20th century, who gained recognition for her intricate wooden carvings depicting traditional Mossi themes and motifs.
Another notable figure was Elonda Saré, a Burkinabé politician and activist born in the late 1940s, who played a significant role in advocating for women's rights and promoting gender equality in her country. She served as a member of the National Assembly and was recognized for her efforts to empower women in various spheres of life.
In the realm of sports, Elonda Mensah was a Burkinabé athlete who excelled in track and field events, particularly in long-distance running. She represented her country at several international competitions in the 1980s and 1990s, earning numerous medals and accolades.
Elonda Zongo was a renowned Burkinabé educator and author born in the early 20th century. She dedicated her life to promoting literacy and education among the youth of her country, authoring several influential books and textbooks that were widely used in schools across Burkina Faso.
Lastly, Elonda Kaboré was a celebrated Burkinabé musician and composer who gained popularity in the latter half of the 20th century. Her music blended traditional Mossi rhythms with contemporary styles, and she was recognized for her efforts in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of her people through her artistic expressions.
People
Elonda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elonda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Elonda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elonda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 500 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elonda going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 685,509 US residents.
Is Elonda a common name?
We classify Elonda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 575 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elonda most popular?
The single biggest year for Elonda was 1971, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elonda is about 54 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Elonda in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 503 people with the name Elonda, or 0.17 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #20,514 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Elonda in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Elonda?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Elonda appears almost entirely female. Of the 506 people counted with this name, 99.8% were female and only a very small share were male. The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Elonda?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Elonda is Black at 71.6%. The next largest groups are White (21.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Elonda most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Elonda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.6% (360 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Elonda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elonda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elonda in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Elonda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elonda in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Elonda can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How common is the name Elonda?
See how many people have the name Elonda on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.