What does Elspeth mean?
Elspeth is the Scottish form of Elizabeth, “God is my oath.”
What does Iona mean?
Iona is the name of a sacred Hebridean island, a cradle of Celtic Christianity.
Elspeth vs Iona
Which is more popular?
Iona is more popular than Elspeth today: about 65 US babies were given the name Iona in 2025, compared with 14 named Elspeth.
| Elspeth | Iona | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is my oath | Island |
| Origin | Scottish | Scottish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | EL-speth | eye-OH-nah |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1914 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1984 (39) | 1918 (404) |
| In 2025 | 14 | 65 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Elspeth
Iona
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Elspeth | Iona |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 104 | 376 |
| 2010s | 164 | 543 |
| 2000s | 125 | 305 |
| 1990s | 105 | 126 |
| 1980s | 240 | 139 |
| 1970s | 36 | 198 |
| 1960s | 26 | 290 |
| 1950s | 33 | 610 |
| 1940s | 27 | 887 |
| 1930s | 18 | 1,747 |
| 1920s | 25 | 3,151 |
| 1910s | 16 | 2,362 |
| 1900s | 0 | 838 |
| 1890s | 0 | 455 |
| 1880s | 0 | 224 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elspeth or Iona more popular?
Iona is more popular than Elspeth today: about 65 US babies were given the name Iona in 2025, compared with 14 named Elspeth.
What is the difference between Elspeth and Iona?
Elspeth means God is my oath (Scottish origin), while Iona means Island (Scottish origin).
Which name is older, Elspeth or Iona?
In US records, Elspeth first appears in 1914 and Iona in 1880, so Iona has the longer recorded history.