What does Kirsty mean?
Kirsty is a Scottish form of Christine, “follower of Christ.”
What does Elspeth mean?
Elspeth is the Scottish form of Elizabeth, “God is my oath.”
Kirsty vs Elspeth
Which is more popular?
Elspeth is more popular than Kirsty today: about 14 US babies were given the name Elspeth in 2025, compared with 0 named Kirsty.
| Kirsty | Elspeth | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Follower of Christ | God is my oath |
| Origin | Scottish | Scottish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | KEER-stee | EL-speth |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1961 | 1914 |
| Peak year | 1991 (99) | 1984 (39) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 14 |
| Trend | Vintage | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Kirsty
Elspeth
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Kirsty | Elspeth |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 0 | 104 |
| 2010s | 10 | 164 |
| 2000s | 81 | 125 |
| 1990s | 508 | 105 |
| 1980s | 179 | 240 |
| 1970s | 130 | 36 |
| 1960s | 37 | 26 |
| 1950s | 0 | 33 |
| 1940s | 0 | 27 |
| 1930s | 0 | 18 |
| 1920s | 0 | 25 |
| 1910s | 0 | 16 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kirsty or Elspeth more popular?
Elspeth is more popular than Kirsty today: about 14 US babies were given the name Elspeth in 2025, compared with 0 named Kirsty.
What is the difference between Kirsty and Elspeth?
Kirsty means Follower of Christ (Scottish origin), while Elspeth means God is my oath (Scottish origin).
Which name is older, Kirsty or Elspeth?
In US records, Kirsty first appears in 1961 and Elspeth in 1914, so Elspeth has the longer recorded history.