Elza is a feminine given name used in Portuguese, Latvian, Hungarian and Georgian, functioning as a local form of Elsa. Ultimately, Elza derives from the biblical name Elisabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, meaning "God is my oath" through the element el meaning "God"). The root Elsa is a short form of Elisabeth, independently popular in medieval German lore and famously modernized by Disney's animated hit Frozen (2013). In Latvian, variants include Elīza and Ilze; in Georgian, the related forms are Eliza, Eliso, and the diminutive Liza. In Portuguese, Elisa is a common cognate. The name Elza is borne by several notable individuals across various fields. Elza Jeffords (1826–1885) was an American politician serving as a U.S. Representative from Mississippi. In the arts, Elza Kephart is a Canadian film director, producer and writer known for independent horror films, and Elza Kolodin was a prominent Polish pianist. Elza Medeiros (1921–2009) was a Brazilian Army officer and World War II veteran, while Elza Soares (1937–2022) was a celebrated Brazilian samba singer whose career spanned decades. Latvian contributions include ballerina Elza Leimane (born 1984) and actress Elza Radziņa (1917–2005). The tragic case of Elza Kungayeva (1982–2000), a Chechen woman murdered by a Russian soldier, drew international humanitarian attention. South African opera singer Elza van den Heever (born 1979) performs internationally. In fiction, Elza Walker appears as an early incarnation of Clare Redfield in the Resident Evil 2 video game, and Elza is also the Japanese name for the character Zael in the game The Last Story.