Elam is a Hebrew name from the Book of Genesis, where Elam is a son of Shem and the ancestor of the ancient kingdom of Elam in present-day Iran; its meaning is usually explained as "hidden" or "eternity". The name has long been used among Amish and Mennonite families, which keeps it quietly in circulation. Elam peaked at number 1257 in the United States in 2015 and ranks 2213 in 2025 with 64 births.