It's no coincidence that many Christian girl names contain the El-prefix. Translating to "God" or "divine" in Hebrew, the "El" sound is found in many Judeo-Christian personal names, where it represents a direct reference to God. If you're looking for a biblical baby girl name that starts with El, you'll find a handful of beautiful options below, from the classic Elizabeth (meaning "My God is an oath") to the unusual Elienai (meaning "God of my eyes"). Or, you can broaden your search to include biblical girl names that end in el, instead of just focusing on names that feature El at the beginning.
Either way, we hope you'll find the perfect biblical El-name for your baby girl!
In the Bible, the mother of John the Baptist and the wife of Zacharias is called Elizabeth (meaning "My God is an oath"). If your taste in baby names runs towards the classic and well-trodden, this El-beginning girls' name could be just the kind of safe choice you're looking for. While Elizabeth is the most common form of this classic biblical girl name and the spelling used in the New International Version of the Bible, Elisabeth with an "s" is also up for grabs.
The successor to Elijah, the biblical Elisha served as a prophet and wonder-worker, and is perhaps best known for parting the Jordan River and healing Naaman of his leprosy in the Bible. Despite the numerous miracles he performed, Elisha remained humble and faithful to God, making him a great character to name a child after. As a modern baby name, Elisha counts as a unisex possibility that works for both girls and boys.
The name of the prophet Aaron's wife doubles as an unusual biblical girl name and can be spelled with a "b" or a "v" (Elisheva). Weighing in at eight letters and four syllables, it can feel a little heavy for a little girl, but the easy-going built-in nickname Ellie makes it a worthy contender.
If you've encountered the name Elika, it's likely because you're into video games (there's an Elika in Prince of Persia), or because you have lots of friends with Persian heritage. But the name also harbors a hidden biblical meaning: in the Old Testament, Elika is briefly mentioned as the name of one of King David's "Mighty Warriors". While the biblical character was a male, Elika's precedent as a girls' name outside of America (it's mainly found in countries where Persian is spoken) as well as its feminine a-ending push it into the girls' column in modern-day America.
Elim joins cousins Eden and Zion in the growing group of short biblical place names that have been repurposed as baby names. Complete in just four letters, Elim could be perfect for the minimalist baby namer looking for a short but strong El-beginning biblical girls' name that hasn't yet been widely discovered.
This elaborate El-name, made more wearable by the sweet nicknames Elle and Ellie, has only found its way onto American birth certificates this century, and even then, it's still extremely rare. As for the biblical link, Elienai is only mentioned briefly in the Bible, as one of the male descendants of Benjamin. In twenty-first-century America, however, Elienai strikes a rather feminine vibe.
And there you have it – our list of Bible-inspired girl names that start with El. If there's a chance your little blessing might actually be a boy, you might also want to check out our list of biblical boy names that start with E, which includes scores of names with the El-prefix, from the popular Elijah to the under-the-radar Elkanah. Or, if the location of the el-sound doesn't matter to you, have a look at our collection of biblical boy names that end in el.