Elspeth is a distinctive choice, ranked #997 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Elspeth in their class.
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UK Rank 2025
#997
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About the Name Elspeth
Elspeth has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 173 places in five years. It was most popular in 1997 at #571 â parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Elspeth is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Elspeth in their class.
â Famous People Named Elspeth
Elspeth Howe â Elspeth Rosamund Morton Howe, Baroness Howe of Idlicote, Baroness Howe of Aberavon, was a British life peer and crossbench member of the House of Lords who served in many capacities in public life.
Elspeth Dusinberre â Elspeth Rogers McIntosh Dusinberre is Professor of Distinction and President's Teaching Scholar in Classics at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Elspeth Beard â Elspeth Beard is an architect and motorcyclist, noted for being one of the first Englishwomen to ride a motorcycle around the world.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Elspeth
Unlikely. With around 34 UK babies named Elspeth per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Elspeth in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Elspeth is declining: down 190 places since 2020, to #997 in 2025. It peaked at #571 in 1997.
Elspeth is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Elspeth include: Elspeth Dusinberre, Elspeth Beard and Elspeth McLachlan. Short summaries for each appear below.
Elspeth does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice â your child is unlikely to encounter American Elspeths in the wild.
34
UK babies named Elspeth (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 190 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Elspeth
Almost certainly the only Elspeth in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Elspeth
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Elspeth Rosamund Morton Howe, Baroness Howe of Idlicote, Baroness Howe of Aberavon, was a British life peer and crossbench member of the House of Lords who served in many capacities in public life.
Elspeth McEwen or McKewan or Elizabeth MacEwan of Balmaclellan was the most famous convicted witch in Galloway and the last to be burnt at the stake there.