# Elvis Origin

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 14, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173 "2002-03-14T01:52:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173/1 "2002-03-14T01:52:37Z")

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There’s an Elvis something -or-other in Olympic skating.  
There’s Elvis Costello,  
and of course  
The KING.

Where does the name Elvis come from?

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173/2 "2002-03-14T03:39:51Z")

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From the elves, of course. 😃

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**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173/3 "2002-03-14T13:51:16Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> ELVIS m English  
> Meaning unknown. Possibly a form of ALVIS or ELWIN or it might be derived from the surname Elwes. This name was made popular by the singer Elvis Presley.

From [Behind the Name](http://www.behindthename.com)

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173/4 "2002-03-14T14:29:18Z")

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Elvis Stojko and Elvis Grbac (to mention another) are both of Croatian origin, and Stojko has commented that the name is reasonably common among Croatian-North American families.

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**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-origin/98173/5 "2002-03-14T17:29:36Z")

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There is a church of St. Elvis in western Wales (sorry, can’t remember the town it’s in off the top of my head). Very popular with American tourists, obviously. I think that one is derived from the Welsh surname _Elwes_, common in the Principality.