Elder

At a Glance

Meaning

From the elder tree (Old English 'ellærn'/'ellern'); the Spanish/Portuguese form 'Élder' is separately documented as a borrowing of the English word 'elder' used as an LDS missionary title, not the tree

Origin

Old English (elder tree) / English word 'elder'

Gender

Used for both boys and girls

Pronunciation

EL-derListen

Elder comes from the Old English word for the elder tree, 'ellærn' or 'ellern', and it's pronounced EL-der. It's also the English word 'elder', and in Spanish and Portuguese the spelling 'Élder' is documented as a borrowing of that word, used as a title for LDS missionaries rather than a reference to the tree.

Meaning & Origin of Elder

Meaning: From the elder tree (Old English 'ellærn'/'ellern'); the Spanish/Portuguese form 'Élder' is separately documented as a borrowing of the English word 'elder' used as an LDS missionary title, not the tree.

Origin: Old English (elder tree) / English word 'elder'.

Source: Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Elder

Popularity of Elder

Elder is uncommon today: it ranked #2396 in 2024, with 58 babies given the name. Its highest U.S. Social Security rank was #556 in 1899, when 13 babies were named Elder.

Names Like Elder

These names have followed a similar path to Elder in U.S. popularity over the years.

• Ivie
• Parks
• Teodoro
• Marguerite
• Abe
• Nolen

FAQ

What does the name Elder mean?

From the elder tree (Old English ‘ellærn’/’ellern’); the Spanish/Portuguese form ‘Élder’ is separately documented as a borrowing of the English word ‘elder’ used as an LDS missionary title, not the tree. (Source: Wikipedia)

How do you pronounce Elder?

Elder is pronounced EL-der (IPA: /ˈɛldər/).

Is Elder a popular name right now?

Elder peaked at #556 in 1899 and is ranked #2396 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Elder Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Elder, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.