# Elvis - the given name **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076 "2016-01-03T17:11:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/1 "2016-01-03T17:11:04Z")
How popular was the name Elvis before Mr. Presley? Wiki isn’t really clear about it and most of the notable Elvi listed were born after the singer. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/2 "2016-01-03T17:27:48Z")
According to [this](http://www.behindthename.com/name/elvis/top)Elvis is known in the US since the 1880’s, although it has clearly grown in popularity since the 1950’s. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/3 "2016-01-03T17:35:04Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > How popular was the name Elvis before Mr. Presley? Wiki isn’t really clear about it and most of the notable Elvi listed were born after the singer. \*"“Elvis” is not Latin and never has been, so the faux-Latin “Elvi” is not justified. And if Elvis was Latin, this would be a 3rd-declension i-stem so the plural would be “Elves” (pronounced as two syllables). Elvis is the Anglicized version of “Ailbe”, the name of an Irish saint. So you should form the plural according to normal English rules, e.g., “Elvises”."\* > **[What is the proper plural form of Elvis?](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-proper-plural-form-of-Elvis)** > > Answer (1 of 3): Generally, you construct plurals according to the rules of the original language for a word, or according to English rules, depending on how naturalized the word is in English. > > "Elvis" is not Latin and never has been, so the... \*After all the crap I’ve taken over “No problemo”, I deserve a chance to be a pissant too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/4 "2016-01-03T17:44:15Z")
Elvis was the middle name of his father, Vernon Elvis Presley ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/5 "2016-01-03T18:37:13Z")
You can find information about the relative popularity of names for babies at this site: [http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=elvis&sw=both&exact=false](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=elvis&sw=both&exact=false) Elvis had a fairly consistent increase in popularity from the 1940s until the 2010s ranging from 40 to 80 per million baby boys. It was more popular in the 1900s than the 1940s so it’s likely Elvis Presley renewed its popularity though not certain as many names go in cycles. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/6 "2016-01-03T21:31:19Z")
Thanks everyone for the info and the links. I didn’t realize his dad also carried the name. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > \*"“Elvis” is not Latin and never has been, so the faux-Latin “Elvi” is not justified. And if Elvis was Latin, this would be a 3rd-declension i-stem so the plural would be “Elves” (pronounced as two syllables). > > Elvis is the Anglicized version of “Ailbe”, the name of an Irish saint. So you should form the plural according to normal English rules, e.g., “Elvises”."\* > > [https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-proper-plural-form-of-Elvis](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-proper-plural-form-of-Elvis) > > \*After all the crap I’ve taken over “No problemo”, I deserve a chance to be a pissant too. 🙂 Jeez, I was just adding a little humor to the thread! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/7 "2016-01-03T21:38:36Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > According to [this](http://www.behindthename.com/name/elvis/top)Elvis is known in the US since the 1880’s, although it has clearly grown in popularity since the 1950’s. Interesting thing about that link, it appears the name was on the way out until he got famous. Interesting how one man can singlehandly revive a name… but it’s probably happened elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/8 "2016-01-03T21:52:06Z")
Don’t think Judas did much for his name’s popularity… ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/9 "2016-01-03T22:10:01Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > Thanks everyone for the info and the links. I didn’t realize his dad also carried the name. > > Jeez, I was just adding a little humor to the thread! > 🆒 Yeah, you need to watch out for those Jackmaniiii. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/10 "2016-01-03T22:30:22Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > Don’t think Judas did much for his name’s popularity… or Herr Hitler, for Adolf. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/11 "2016-01-04T22:32:32Z")
Note that “Elvis” is part of a group of names: Elvis/Alvis for men, Elva/Alva for women and variants. But with exceptions. E.g., Thomas Alva Edison. We have relatives with the “A” variants in unrelated branches. All seem to have Southern-ish roots. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/12 "2016-01-04T23:08:26Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Yeah, you need to watch out for those Jackmaniiii. Jesus Christ, there’s _four_ of 'em now? This is worse than I thought! ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/13 "2016-01-05T00:31:26Z")
You need to be wary of assuming gender from a given name. We have a leading male politician called Hilary. [Hilary Benn - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilary_Benn) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/14 "2016-01-05T00:37:47Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Jesus Christ, there’s _four_ of 'em now? This is worse than I thought! Then you should beware the heck out of all the iiandyiiiiiiii ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/15 "2016-01-05T00:38:59Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > Interesting thing about that link, it appears the name was on the way out until he got famous. Interesting how one man can singlehandly revive a name… but it’s probably happened elsewhere. Doesn’t even have to be a real person. The name [Madison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_(name)) for a girl, almost unknown before 1985, rose after the 1984 movie _Splash_ to be the second most popular girl’s name in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![SpyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@SpyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpyOne)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/16 "2016-01-05T05:26:36Z")
> [@quiltguy](#): > > or Herr Hitler, for Adolf. [http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=adolph&sw=both&exact=false](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=adolph&sw=both&exact=false) Apparently, (in the US at least) Adolph was rapidly declining in popularity right up until Herr Hitler got famous. While it continued to decline, the rate at which it dropped slowed considerably, only nearing zero in the late 1960s. ---
**Author:** ![SpyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@SpyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpyOne)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/17 "2016-01-05T05:32:16Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Doesn’t even have to be a real person. The name [Madison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_(name)) for a girl, almost unknown before 1985, rose after the 1984 movie _Splash_ to be the second most popular girl’s name in the U.S. When the TV show Bewitched was being created, they gave the characters from the magical side of the family names that would sound old-fashioned, because they hadn’t been popular in decades. Samantha had dropped off the graph before 1900, and while it started coming back in the 1950s, there is a notable spike in popularity that coincides with the premiere of Bewitched. [http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2010/7/samantha-the-ultimate-new-classic](http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2010/7/samantha-the-ultimate-new-classic) ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/18 "2016-01-05T08:11:54Z")
So why dont we have more Gilligan’s now? Oh wait his first name was Willy. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/19 "2016-01-05T15:48:38Z")
> [@SpyOne](#): > > When the TV show Bewitched was being created, they gave the characters from the magical side of the family names that would sound old-fashioned, because they hadn’t been popular in decades. > Samantha had dropped off the graph before 1900, and while it started coming back in the 1950s, there is a notable spike in popularity that coincides with the premiere of Bewitched. > > [Pregnancy, Parenting, Lifestyle, Beauty: Tips & Advice | mom.com](http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2010/7/samantha-the-ultimate-new-classic) Endora took off then as well. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076/20 "2016-01-05T16:09:23Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Endora took off then as well. And of course Tabitha, which had a giant spike after the character appeared. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-the-given-name/742076.md?page=2)