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Name at a glance

Elisha

Elisha is a Hebrew name commonly understood as God is salvation.

Ranked #789 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #255 in 1883, stable over the past 5 years.

Elisha is remembered as Elijah's prophetic successor and a miracle-working prophet in the books of Kings.

Browse names
OriginHebrew
GenderBoy
FeelProphetic
Pronunciationih-LY-shuh

Is Elisha biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Elisha is a named person in Scripture, Elijah's prophetic successor in 1 and 2 Kings.

Is Elisha a Christian name?

Yes, in specific traditions

Christian tradition Tradition-specific

Elisha is venerated as the Holy Prophet Elisha with a feast day in Orthodox and Catholic tradition, while its naming use is rarer than Elijah's.

TraditionsOrthodox, Catholic

Plain answer

Elisha is a biblical prophet venerated as a saint in Orthodox and Catholic tradition, though less common as a name than Elijah.

Confidence Moderate Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Elisha

Elisha is usually understood as God is salvation. The name should not be confused with Elijah, though their stories are closely connected.

Name story

The successor of Elijah

Elisha is called when Elijah throws his mantle over him. That image gives the name a strong sense of vocation, succession, and prophetic inheritance.

Elisha's ministry includes miracles of provision, healing, judgment, and restoration.

Biblical arc

Salvation in prophetic action

The meaning God is salvation fits Elisha's story because many episodes show divine help arriving in concrete situations.

For Christian families, Elisha can feel distinctive but not obscure, especially for those drawn to prophetic names.

Sound

How to pronounce Elisha

Phonetic
ih-LY-shuh
IPA
/ɪˈlaɪʃə/

3 syllables · stress: ih-LY-shuh · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Eliseus
  • Eliseo
  • Elisée
  • Yelisey

Short forms and nicknames

  • Eli
  • Lee

Languages

Elisha in other languages

Hebrew
אֱלִישָׁעElisha
Greek
ἘλισσαῖοςElissaios
Latin
Eliseus
Spanish
Eliseo
French
Élisée
German
Elischa
Italian
Eliseo
Russian
ЕлисейYelisey
Arabic
الْيَسَعAl-Yasa

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Elisha has Christian resonance because his miracles and prophetic ministry are read as part of the Old Testament witness to God's saving power. For more on prophet names in the Bible and the prophetic tradition, see Biblical prophet names.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Elisha is Elijah's successor and a prophet in Israel whose ministry is told in 1 and 2 Kings.

Bearers

Notable people named Elisha

  • biblical

    ElishaProphet and successor to Elijah in 1 and 2 Kings, associated with miracles of healing and provision

  • historical

    Elisha GrayAmerican electrical engineer who developed an early telephone, filing his patent caveat on the same day as Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, 1835 to 1901

  • historical

    Elisha OtisAmerican inventor of the safety elevator brake that made tall buildings practical, 1811 to 1861

  • modern

    Elisha CuthbertCanadian actress known for 24 and Happy Endings, born 1982

Saint

Holy Prophet Elisha

Traditions
Orthodox, Catholic

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Elisha has a long biblical history but is less common than Elijah. In modern English it can sometimes be mistaken as feminine, though the biblical figure is male.

Recent US use

Elisha in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#789
Peak rank
#255 in 1883
Recent trend
stable over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

Phonetic neighbours

Names that sound similar to Elisha

  • Elijah · Same Eli- prefix and three-syllable rhythm; the consonant cluster after Eli- is the main difference.
  • Isaiah · Three-syllable Hebrew prophet name with the same -iah ending; differs in the initial vowel pattern.

Pairings

Names paired with Elisha

  • Elijahprophetic master

    Elijah throws his mantle over Elisha while plowing; Elisha leaves immediately to follow him and receives prophetic succession at Elijah's translation.

For families

For families looking at Elisha

Elisha may suit parents who want a rare prophetic boy name with a hopeful meaning and a strong biblical story.

Common questions

What does Elisha mean?

Elisha means God is salvation.

Is Elisha a biblical name?

Yes. Elisha is Elijah's successor in Kings.

Are Elijah and Elisha the same name?

No. They are different names, though their biblical stories are closely connected.

Sources

Sources for Elisha

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology (God is salvation); meaning.
  • The Books of Kings, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure (1 and 2 Kings); prophetic successor to Elijah.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Holy Prophet Elisha; feast day (June 14).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

ElijahElijah is Elisha's prophetic mentor; Elisha receives a double portion of his master's spirit before Elijah is taken up (2 Kings 2).SamuelBoth are prophets who shaped Israel's covenant memory; Samuel anointed kings, Elisha confronted them.IsaiahAnother major Hebrew prophetic name; both Elisha and Isaiah carry the salvation root in their etymologies.JoshuaSame etymological root as Elisha ('God is salvation' / 'the LORD is salvation'); the Hebrew names share their core theological claim.