Elspeth

Scottish variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"

Elspeth Origin and Meaning

The name Elspeth is a girl's name of Scottish origin meaning "pledged to God".

Elspeth is one of those names that never quite made it out of the British Isles--particularly Scotland, but possesses a winningly childlike charm. Elspeth was used by Sir Walter Scott for several of his female characters.

Elspeth Huxley was a prolific Kenyan-born U.K. writer, best known for the autobiographical The Flame Trees of Thika--she was connected by marriage to the illustrous Huxley family.

A close cousin is Elsbeth, as in the recurring character Elsbeth Tascioni on The Good Wife. Embeth is a more distant relation.

# 505 on Nameberry

Elspeth Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Elspeth Popularity

Famous People Named Elspeth

  • Elspeth Joscelin HuxleyBritish novelist
  • Elspeth BallantyneAustralian actress
  • Elspeth ThompsonBritish gardener and writer
  • Elspeth HoweBaroness Howe of Idlicote, English life peer
  • (Jean) Elspeth MarchEnglish actress
  • Elspeth HansonEnglish violist of the string quartet Bond
  • Elspeth AttwoollScottish MEP
  • Elspeth DenningAustralian Olympic field hockey player
  • Elspeth MacGregor CameronCanadian biographer and poet
  • Elspeth GibsonEnglish fashion designer
  • Elspeth Hallsmithbirth name of Emma Smith, British novelist

Elspeth in Pop Culture

  • Elspeth Gordiecharacter in Obernewtyn Chronicles
  • Elspeth Tirelfrom Magic: The Gathering
  • Elspeth Noblincharacter in Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger