Eliza is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God is my oath" or "God is my salvation". It is derived from the Hebrew name Elizabeth, which was originally used to denote a woman who was favored by God.
The name Eliza has been in use for centuries, with some notable historical figures sharing this moniker. One famous Eliza was Eliza Doolittle, a character in George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" and its musical adaptation "My Fair Lady". Another notable Eliza was Eliza Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
In terms of popularity, Eliza has been a moderately popular name for girls in English-speaking countries. According to data from the Social Security Administration, it ranked as the 376th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2020.
Overall, Eliza is a classic and timeless name with a strong biblical connection, making it an attractive choice for parents looking for a name that blends tradition with modernity.
The name Eliza has had a varied history in terms of popularity over the past century and a half. The peak years for this name were around the turn of the 20th century, with over 300 births each year between 1897 and 1909. However, there was a significant drop in its popularity by the 1940s, with fewer than 150 births per year from 1940 to 1945.
After this low point, Eliza's popularity began to rise again, fluctuating between 87 and 239 births annually from 1952 to 1986. It then experienced a substantial increase in popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with over 300 births per year from 1987 to 1994.
The most significant surge in popularity for the name Eliza came around the mid-2000s, reaching its peak in 2015 with 1835 births. Since then, it has maintained a high level of popularity, with over 2000 births annually from 2016 to 2023.
In total, there have been 65,849 births for the name Eliza since 1897.