Élise is a French diminutive of Elisabeth. In French it is pronounced /ay LEEZ/. Pronounced /eh LEE za/, it is used in German and Dutch. In English /uh LEESE/, it has been used since at least 1880, though it enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 1980s, probably due to the character Elyse Keaton on the popular television show "Family Ties." In 2012 it was more popular than ever, at #126 in the top 7000. Multiple spellings are in use currently (in order of popularity): Elise, Elyse, Alyse, Alise, Ellise, Elysse, Alysse, Ellyse, Elisse, Aleese, Elize, Elease, Alese, Allyse, Aleece, Aliz, Elyce, Ellyce, Allyce, Elice, Alisse, Eliz, Ilyse, Alease, Aliese, ElliceSee Also: Alise, Alyse, Elyse, Aliesse, Elizabeth