Elyan is a modern name of uncertain origin, usually explained as a variant of Elian, which in Spanish-speaking families is read as a blend of Elias and names ending in -an, or traced to the Greek Helios, "sun". In Arthurian legend Sir Elyan the White is a knight of the Round Table, and the BBC series Merlin revived the name. Elyan ranked number 7005 in 2000, rose past number 5000 in 2019 and has climbed to number 2580 in 2025, its best rank on record.