Elsa

Elsa developed as a short form of Elisabeth, especially in German-speaking and northern European naming traditions. Through Elisabeth it traces to Hebrew Elisheva, commonly understood as “God is my oath.” The name has an independent history as a given name and does not need a longer form on official documents.

Disney’s Frozen gives Elsa a strong contemporary association, but the name appears much earlier in Wagner’s opera Lohengrin and in the story of the lioness in Born Free. Designer Elsa Schiaparelli is another notable bearer. Those different connections let families see beyond a single fictional character. Elsie is a related short form, while Elisabeth offers a longer alternative for parents who want Elsa as an everyday nickname.