Elja

Elja is a gender-neutral name in many cultures, but in Finnish regions, it is seen as a feminine variant of the Hebrew name Elijah. Elja is an Old Norse name that is Scandinavian in origin. For both boys and girls, the meaning of Elja is 'my God is Yahweh' (derived from the Hebrew word 'אֵל' (pronounced 'el'), meaning God and 'יָה' (pronounced 'yah'), alluding to the Hebrew God Yahweh. The girl's name also translates as 'rival wife' from the Old Norse 'Elja'. It has also been linked as a cognate form of the Old English ellen, derived from the Proto-Germanic word "aljaną", meaning "strength" or "courage". Individuals named Elja are generally considered very wise, decisive, optimistic, generous, independent, ambitious, and highly creative. One famous person bearing this name is Elja Hyytiäinen, a Finnish cross-country skier who won a medal while representing her country in the relay event at the winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.