Elam
Masculine · “eternity”
Elam is a real ancient kingdom in what is now Iran — one of the oldest civilizations on earth, with a language related to nothing.
How old is the name Elam?
Elam was already in use when US birth records began in 1880 — it is at least 145 years old. The typical Elam alive today was born around 2008, making them about 17 years old. About 2,400 people named Elam are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Elam most popular?
Elam peaked in 1898, reaching #744 nationally. Today it ranks #2207, 1,463 places below that high. See the whole 1898 chart.
Lists built from the same records:
Where it comes from
From Haltamti to Elam
The story of Elam
Elam was a civilization contemporary with Sumer, centered on Susa, and Elamite is a language isolate — related to no known family. Genesis lists Elam among Shem's sons, making the kingdom a person. The name appears in American records in current use.
Meaningscholars disagree
eternity; highland
The Hebrew Elam is read as 'eternity' or 'hidden time' from olam. The kingdom's own name in Elamite was Haltamti, generally read as 'lord country' or 'highland'. Genesis names Elam a son of Shem. The Hebrew and Elamite readings are separate and neither settles the other.
How the name formed
- Haltamti
- Elam
Related forms: עילם · Haltamti
Pronouncing Elam
EE-lum
Two syllables, stress on the first. Hebrew stresses the second, ay-LAHM.
Nicknames for Elam
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1880
- Most boys named
- 2015144 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #744reached in 1898
- Change vs 2023
- +6.7%64 in 2025, from 60
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Elam in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- עילם in Hebrew — transliteration
- Haltamti in Elamite — related form
Strongest US states over the last decade: Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California.
Elams among us
people named Elam are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 26,689 born in 2025 was named Elam
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Elam sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Elam is headed
Elam is easing off slowly — about 19% fewer babies a year by 2030 if the trend continues.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Elam beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Elam in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- That Elamite is related to no known language family is a first-rate fact.
- One of the oldest civilizations on earth carries the name.
- Two clean syllables with no pronunciation risk.
- The Hebrew and Elamite readings are separate and unrelated.
- It is a place and people name rather than a personal one.
- It is genuinely rare and will be asked about.
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What they receive
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Elam
Masculine · #2207 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Elams are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 2,400 people named Elam are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Elam in 2025?
- Elam ranks #2207 among US boy names in 2025, with 64 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Elam?
- About 1 in every 26,689 US boys born in 2025 was named Elam — 64 in all.
- Will my child share the name Elam with classmates?
- Elam will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Elam
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Canon#2207 · Zayaan#2207 · Damarion#2207 · Jaciel#2207 · Raleigh#2207 · Gannon#2207 · Sylvester#2207 · Jaydon#2207
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Elam? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Elam and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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