Eloise

The French girl’s name Eloise is most often considered a variant of Héloïse and means “whole wood,” “whole forest,” "widely whole," or "widely healthy" from Germanic and Old Saxon origins. But Eloise's meanings don't stop there, as it's often linked to Louise ("famous warrior") and the Greek helios ("sun"). This name belongs to one of the most famous children in literary history. Countless kids have read and been charmed by the character Eloise, a mischievous girl who lived at New York’s fabled Plaza Hotel. After a 40-year absence from the baby-name charts, Eloise made a comeback, likely due to the Netflix show Bridgerton, gaining popularity with parents who love a stylish, old-fashioned name. In the series, Eloise is a witty and independent woman with a love for literature and a disdain for Victorian societal norms, lending the name a forward-thinking feel.

The Bump user BellaKelsey shares, “I like the name Eloise. I think of Eloise Wilkin.” Eloise Wilkin was an American children's book illustrator, deepening the name Eloise's connection to literature and making it richly nostalgic.

Fun Facts About the Name Eloise

• A legendary medieval romance: The name's original French form, Héloïse, belongs to one of history's most famous intellectuals. In 12th-century France, Héloïse d'Argenteuil was a brilliant scholar and abbess renowned for her passionate, tragic love affair and lifelong letter correspondence with the philosopher Peter Abelard.
• The ultimate plaza resident: The iconic 1955 book Eloise was written by Kay Thompson, who was a glamorous Hollywood vocal coach, actress, and singer. Rumor has it that Thompson based Eloise’s mischievous antics partly on her own childhood imaginary friend.
• Nicknames galore: One of the best things about Eloise is its incredible versatility in the nickname department. Parents can easily transition from the sweet and classic Ellie, Ella or Elle to more whimsical, vintage-inspired options like Lola, Lolo, or Elsie.
• A cosmopolitan traveler: While Eloise is soaring up the charts, its sister variants are massive global hits too. For instance, the Portuguese variant, Heloísa, consistently ranks as one of the single most popular baby girl names in Brazil.