The baby name Elsje is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɛlsjə/ (ELS-yuh).
The baby name Elsje is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɛlsjə/ (ELS-yuh).
Elsje is Afrikaans, Dutch in Origin.
Elsje is a Dutch and Afrikaans diminutive of Elisabeth, built with the affectionate suffix -je (“little” or “dear”). As with Elisabeth, it ultimately derives from Hebrew Elisheva, typically interpreted as “my God is an oath” or “pledged to God.” The form Elsje conveys intimacy and simplicity, and has long functioned as both a pet name and an independent given name in the Low Countries and South Africa.
Records show Elsje in 17th-century Amsterdam (e.g., the ill-fated Elsje Christiaens sketched by Rembrandt), and the name persisted through Dutch colonial transmission to the Cape, where it entered Afrikaans naming. Related forms include Else, Elsa, Els, Elske (Frisian), and the cognates Elise, Eliza, and Elsbeth; Liesje is a parallel Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth. Though never broadly international, Elsje remains recognizable within Dutch- and Afrikaans-speaking communities, offering a vintage, homespun alternative to the sleeker Elsa or Elise.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | 0 | #33 | 1 | 2,537 | |
| ID | Girls | 0 | #102 | 1 | 3,319 |
| NA | Girls | 0 | #234 | 4 | 7,146 |
| JP | Girls | 0 | #251 | 1 | 6,592 |
| SA | 0 | #312 | 1 | 10,560 | |
| DK | Girls | 0 | #328 | 2 | 7,429 |
| ZA | 0 | #404 | 44 | 14,421 | |
| CM | Girls | 0 | #560 | 1 | 11,671 |
| NL | Girls | 0 | #801 | 155 | 5,933 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #839 | 309 | 25,928 |
| CL | Girls | 0 | #915 | 1 | 14,098 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #1,072 | 1 | 24,821 |
Elsje is popular in 10 countries — most recent births per country:
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