Elan is a Hebrew name, a spelling of Ilan, and means "tree" or "oak"; English speakers also hear the French élan, "spirit" or "dash". In the United States it is used by Jewish families and by parents who like its short, modern sound next to Eli and Evan. Elan stood at number 1901 in 2000, peaked at number 1266 in 2011 and has slipped from number 1455 in 2015 to number 2490 in 2025.