Ellen first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Ellen has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Ellen

A feminine name derived from the Greek word for 'sun ray'.

Popularity of Ellen by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Ellen is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Ellen being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 237 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Ellen.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 237
2022 0 251
2021 0 289
2020 0 335
2019 0 345
2018 0 355
2017 0 385
2016 0 450
2015 0 406
2014 0 434
2013 0 403
2012 0 374
2011 0 401
2010 0 430
2009 0 416
2008 0 458
2007 0 513
2006 0 545
2005 0 516
2004 0 594
2003 0 668
2002 0 590
2001 0 608
2000 0 632
1999 0 675
1998 0 622
1997 0 812
1996 0 1,156
1995 0 1,311
1994 0 1,322
1993 5 1,305
1992 0 1,335
1991 0 1,430
1990 7 1,378
1989 9 1,316
1988 5 1,186
1987 5 1,080
1986 8 969
1985 0 854
1984 7 929
1983 5 953
1982 0 1,007
1981 0 958
1980 0 988
1979 5 943
1978 0 1,012
1977 0 1,018
1976 9 941
1975 0 1,021
1974 6 1,088

The history of the first name Ellen

The name Ellen is derived from the Greek word "Helene" which means "bright one" or "shining light". It originated in ancient Greece and was a popular name among the Greeks and Romans. The name was also associated with the Greek goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite.

Ellen is a variation of the more common name Helen, which was popularized in the Middle Ages due to its association with St. Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. St. Helen was a devout Christian who is believed to have discovered the True Cross in Jerusalem in the 4th century AD.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ellen can be found in the Old English epic poem "Beowulf", which dates back to around the 8th century AD. In the poem, there is a character named Aelfwine, which is an Old English name that could be considered a precursor to Ellen.

Throughout history, there have been several notable women named Ellen. Ellen Wilkinson (1891-1947) was a British Labour politician and one of the first women to be elected to the House of Commons. Ellen Terry (1847-1928) was a renowned English stage actress who was considered one of the greatest actresses of the late 19th century.

Ellen Troutman Zahourek (1826-1905) was a Norwegian-American musician and composer who is credited with helping to establish the Norwegian-American community in the United States. Ellen Key (1849-1926) was a Swedish writer and feminist who advocated for women's rights and education reform.

Ellen MacArthur (born 1976) is a British sailor who broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe in 2005. She is also known for her efforts in promoting sustainable practices and circular economy principles.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ellen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ellen, please contact us.

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"Ellen first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 5, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/ellen-meaning-and-history/.

"Ellen first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/ellen-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 5 November, 2024

Ellen first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/ellen-meaning-and-history/.

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