Fun Facts About the Name Ella
- Back among the favorites: Ella returned to the U.S. top 100 in 1883 and stayed there for 24 consecutive years, through 2025.
- More than 352 thousand babies named Ella: U.S. records list 352,133 babies given the name Ella from 1880 through 2025. Even 901 boys received the name Ella - about 1 boy for every 390 girls.
What Does the Name Ella Mean?
Ella is chiefly a short form rather than a name with a single root, so its meaning depends on the name behind it. In the Germanic naming tradition it stands for names built on the element alja, usually translated "other" or "foreign"; a competing explanation treats it as a short form of names containing alb, "elf." In English it also served as a pet form of Eleanor, Ellen, and other names beginning with El-, and through Ellen and Helen it can carry the Greek sense "torch" or "light." In German, Ella is a familiar form of Eleonore and Elisabeth. A separate Hebrew name, אלה (Elah), means "terebinth tree" and is sometimes written Ella in English. These strands are independent, so no single meaning applies to every use of the name.
Ella Name History & Origins
The oldest recorded form of the name in England is masculine. Ælla, also written Ella, was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, including Ælla of Deira in the sixth century and Ælla of Northumbria in the ninth; they appear in Bede's Ecclesiastical History and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Whether the modern feminine name descends from this older name or from a separate Germanic source is not settled.
As a woman's name, Ella is found in medieval England, where it was used as a short form of names such as Eleanor and Ellen and of Germanic names beginning with Al-. In German-speaking regions it became established as a familiar form of Eleonore and Elisabeth, and it is also used in the Scandinavian countries. The modern Hebrew name אלה is written Ella in English.
Ella is not related to the Ella in Cinderella, which comes from the French Cendrillon, from cendre, "ashes." The American singer Ella Fitzgerald is a well-known bearer of the name.
How Popular is the Name Ella?
Ella ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1880 through 1928, then returned in 2002 and remained through 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #29 | 5,831 | 0.3628% |
| 2024 | #30 | 5,685 | 0.3524% |
| 2023 | #32 | 5,659 | 0.3531% |
| 2022 | #25 | 6,284 | 0.3835% |
| 2021 | #16 | 7,037 | 0.4292% |
| 2020 | #15 | 7,367 | 0.4560% |
| 2019 | #13 | 8,127 | 0.4845% |
| 2018 | #15 | 8,126 | 0.4779% |
| 2017 | #16 | 8,083 | 0.4683% |
| 2016 | #17 | 7,939 | 0.4482% |
| 2015 | #18 | 7,917 | 0.4436% |
| 2014 | #17 | 8,568 | 0.4797% |
| 2013 | #15 | 8,461 | 0.4823% |
| 2012 | #12 | 9,211 | 0.5231% |
| 2011 | #12 | 9,597 | 0.5457% |
| 2010 | #13 | 9,883 | 0.5561% |
| 2009 | #15 | 9,657 | 0.5257% |
| 2008 | #19 | 9,362 | 0.4952% |
| 2007 | #21 | 9,553 | 0.4969% |
| 2006 | #21 | 9,211 | 0.4845% |
| 2005 | #23 | 9,071 | 0.4909% |
| 2004 | #29 | 8,251 | 0.4494% |
| 2003 | #44 | 5,909 | 0.3234% |
| 2002 | #89 | 3,566 | 0.1985% |
| 2001 | #190 | 1,722 | 0.0956% |
| 2000 | #264 | 1,232 | 0.0678% |
| 1999 | #373 | 782 | 0.0441% |
| 1998 | #410 | 657 | 0.0372% |
| 1997 | #493 | 501 | 0.0288% |
| 1996 | #596 | 383 | 0.0218% |
| 1995 | #687 | 310 | 0.0176% |
| 1994 | #676 | 314 | 0.0176% |
| 1993 | #778 | 266 | 0.0147% |
| 1992 | #862 | 229 | 0.0124% |
| 1991 | #901 | 216 | 0.0115% |
| 1990 | #828 | 237 | 0.0125% |
| 1989 | #1,038 | 165 | 0.0090% |
| 1988 | #924 | 183 | 0.0103% |
| 1987 | #1,152 | 128 | 0.0074% |
| 1986 | #1,135 | 127 | 0.0074% |
| 1985 | #1,032 | 146 | 0.0085% |
| 1984 | #1,029 | 138 | 0.0082% |
| 1983 | #949 | 156 | 0.0093% |
| 1982 | #873 | 177 | 0.0105% |
| 1981 | #859 | 181 | 0.0109% |
| 1980 | #881 | 174 | 0.0105% |
| 1979 | #881 | 173 | 0.0108% |
| 1978 | #849 | 174 | 0.0114% |
| 1977 | #881 | 163 | 0.0106% |
| 1976 | #781 | 183 | 0.0125% |
| 1975 | #776 | 182 | 0.0125% |
| 1974 | #695 | 212 | 0.0144% |
| 1973 | #664 | 224 | 0.0154% |
| 1972 | #706 | 205 | 0.0135% |
| 1971 | #640 | 257 | 0.0154% |
| 1970 | #564 | 323 | 0.0185% |
| 1969 | #551 | 320 | 0.0190% |
| 1968 | #545 | 314 | 0.0191% |
| 1967 | #486 | 382 | 0.0231% |
| 1966 | #454 | 430 | 0.0254% |
| 1965 | #429 | 479 | 0.0271% |
| 1964 | #411 | 564 | 0.0298% |
| 1963 | #393 | 597 | 0.0310% |
| 1962 | #373 | 631 | 0.0321% |
| 1961 | #358 | 713 | 0.0353% |
| 1960 | #352 | 747 | 0.0369% |
| 1959 | #314 | 866 | 0.0428% |
| 1958 | #320 | 841 | 0.0418% |
| 1957 | #290 | 968 | 0.0473% |
| 1956 | #276 | 989 | 0.0493% |
| 1955 | #244 | 1,125 | 0.0575% |
| 1954 | #244 | 1,099 | 0.0566% |
| 1953 | #235 | 1,161 | 0.0617% |
| 1952 | #220 | 1,245 | 0.0671% |
| 1951 | #206 | 1,364 | 0.0757% |
| 1950 | #198 | 1,379 | 0.0805% |
| 1949 | #177 | 1,552 | 0.0907% |
| 1948 | #177 | 1,554 | 0.0915% |
| 1947 | #177 | 1,635 | 0.0922% |
| 1946 | #177 | 1,500 | 0.0955% |
| 1945 | #158 | 1,472 | 0.1126% |
| 1944 | #158 | 1,573 | 0.1185% |
| 1943 | #155 | 1,664 | 0.1193% |
| 1942 | #152 | 1,659 | 0.1228% |
| 1941 | #141 | 1,697 | 0.1405% |
| 1940 | #146 | 1,671 | 0.1461% |
| 1939 | #132 | 1,829 | 0.1668% |
| 1938 | #140 | 1,728 | 0.1566% |
| 1937 | #134 | 1,748 | 0.1643% |
| 1936 | #126 | 1,836 | 0.1765% |
| 1935 | #122 | 1,901 | 0.1813% |
| 1934 | #113 | 2,071 | 0.1983% |
| 1933 | #113 | 2,027 | 0.2011% |
| 1932 | #108 | 2,256 | 0.2114% |
| 1931 | #110 | 2,162 | 0.2031% |
| 1930 | #107 | 2,404 | 0.2135% |
| 1929 | #102 | 2,474 | 0.2216% |
| 1928 | #100 | 2,670 | 0.2315% |
| 1927 | #98 | 2,843 | 0.2384% |
| 1926 | #98 | 2,852 | 0.2406% |
| 1925 | #93 | 3,006 | 0.2469% |
| 1924 | #94 | 3,061 | 0.2451% |
| 1923 | #93 | 2,995 | 0.2483% |
| 1922 | #90 | 3,150 | 0.2623% |
| 1921 | #89 | 3,237 | 0.2625% |
| 1920 | #88 | 3,232 | 0.2697% |
| 1919 | #87 | 3,158 | 0.2794% |
| 1918 | #84 | 3,291 | 0.2843% |
| 1917 | #83 | 3,054 | 0.2824% |
| 1916 | #81 | 2,965 | 0.2839% |
| 1915 | #75 | 2,954 | 0.3002% |
| 1914 | #72 | 2,308 | 0.3031% |
| 1913 | #70 | 2,071 | 0.3316% |
| 1912 | #69 | 1,921 | 0.3442% |
| 1911 | #63 | 1,604 | 0.3834% |
| 1910 | #62 | 1,587 | 0.4002% |
| 1909 | #60 | 1,382 | 0.3980% |
| 1908 | #56 | 1,428 | 0.4271% |
| 1907 | #54 | 1,450 | 0.4552% |
| 1906 | #54 | 1,343 | 0.4548% |
| 1905 | #52 | 1,438 | 0.4931% |
| 1904 | #48 | 1,432 | 0.5200% |
| 1903 | #50 | 1,419 | 0.5417% |
| 1902 | #45 | 1,525 | 0.5775% |
| 1901 | #42 | 1,435 | 0.5996% |
| 1900 | #42 | 1,911 | 0.6375% |
| 1899 | #42 | 1,502 | 0.6446% |
| 1898 | #39 | 1,715 | 0.6628% |
| 1897 | #36 | 1,708 | 0.7293% |
| 1896 | #36 | 1,683 | 0.7074% |
| 1895 | #35 | 1,692 | 0.7242% |
| 1894 | #31 | 1,761 | 0.7900% |
| 1893 | #28 | 1,760 | 0.8267% |
| 1892 | #27 | 1,808 | 0.8515% |
| 1891 | #23 | 1,685 | 0.9084% |
| 1890 | #23 | 1,758 | 0.9234% |
| 1889 | #22 | 1,647 | 0.9234% |
| 1888 | #18 | 1,774 | 0.9932% |
| 1887 | #16 | 1,521 | 1.0419% |
| 1886 | #19 | 1,464 | 1.0129% |
| 1885 | #19 | 1,395 | 1.0484% |
| 1884 | #19 | 1,374 | 1.0650% |
| 1883 | #16 | 1,251 | 1.1138% |
| 1882 | #15 | 1,206 | 1.1183% |
| 1881 | #13 | 1,148 | 1.2485% |
| 1880 | #13 | 1,156 | 1.2704% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #12,768 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #8,361 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #7,761 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #11,161 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #12,765 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #9,946 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #8,308 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #6,417 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #9,940 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #6,138 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #6,920 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #7,862 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #5,502 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #5,869 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #6,346 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #3,484 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2003 | #7,427 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #3,649 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,400 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #3,778 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #4,022 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #2,773 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #2,732 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #3,838 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #3,431 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #2,849 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #3,471 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #2,583 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1945 | #2,620 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #3,577 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #2,447 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1942 | #1,551 | 21 | 0.0015% |
| 1941 | #1,601 | 19 | 0.0015% |
| 1940 | #2,222 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #1,988 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1938 | #2,531 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1937 | #1,778 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1936 | #1,985 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1935 | #1,506 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1934 | #1,679 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1933 | #1,664 | 18 | 0.0018% |
| 1932 | #1,668 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1931 | #2,134 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1930 | #1,710 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1929 | #1,748 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1928 | #1,987 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1927 | #2,328 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #1,855 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1925 | #2,118 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #1,860 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1923 | #2,367 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1922 | #1,976 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1921 | #1,727 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1920 | #2,499 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #2,089 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1918 | #3,186 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #2,014 | 15 | 0.0016% |
| 1916 | #4,097 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1915 | #2,894 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1914 | #2,145 | 10 | 0.0015% |
| 1913 | #1,714 | 11 | 0.0021% |
| 1911 | #1,214 | 9 | 0.0040% |
| 1910 | #1,235 | 8 | 0.0041% |
| 1909 | #1,043 | 9 | 0.0055% |
| 1908 | #1,262 | 6 | 0.0039% |
| 1907 | #1,238 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1906 | #1,041 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1905 | #802 | 10 | 0.0076% |
| 1904 | #996 | 7 | 0.0055% |
| 1903 | #936 | 7 | 0.0059% |
| 1902 | #957 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1901 | #884 | 7 | 0.0066% |
| 1900 | #754 | 12 | 0.0080% |
| 1899 | #806 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1898 | #673 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1896 | #1,019 | 6 | 0.0050% |
| 1894 | #805 | 8 | 0.0069% |
| 1892 | #996 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1891 | #792 | 7 | 0.0069% |
| 1888 | #768 | 8 | 0.0066% |
| 1886 | #876 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1885 | #865 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1884 | #890 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1883 | #937 | 5 | 0.0048% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
