Ellie first name popularity, history and meaning

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

Meaning of Ellie

A diminutive of Eleanor, meaning "bright, shining light".

Popularity of Ellie by gender

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

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 5,951 female babies and 5 male babies born with the name Ellie.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby boys were named Ellie in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 5 5,951
2022 8 5,761
2021 5 5,850
2020 9 5,592
2019 6 5,427
2018 10 5,216
2017 7 5,015
2016 6 5,072
2015 6 4,868
2014 12 4,484
2013 0 3,763
2012 7 3,387
2011 0 3,064
2010 5 2,911
2009 0 2,234
2008 5 1,996
2007 0 2,010
2006 7 1,995
2005 0 1,890
2004 8 1,817
2003 8 1,728
2002 8 1,619
2001 0 906
2000 0 829
1999 0 708
1998 0 603
1997 0 430
1996 0 374
1995 0 359
1994 0 252
1993 0 255
1992 0 234
1991 0 169
1990 5 173
1989 0 128
1988 5 91
1987 0 87
1986 0 58
1985 0 49
1984 5 57
1983 5 71
1982 0 71
1981 0 81
1980 0 75
1979 0 81
1978 0 57
1977 0 60
1976 0 68
1975 6 70
1974 0 54

The history of the first name Ellie

The name Ellie is a diminutive form of the Hebrew name Eleanor, which means "bright one" or "shining light." The name has its origins in the medieval Provençal form of the Germanic name Alia, derived from the Old High German word "ali" meaning "other."

The name Eleanor first gained popularity in the 12th century when Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful and influential figures of the Middle Ages, bore the name. Born in 1122, Eleanor was the Duchess of Aquitaine and later became the Queen of France and England through her marriages to Louis VII and Henry II, respectively.

In the 13th century, the name Ellie emerged as a shortened version of Eleanor, and it was commonly used among English and Scottish families. One notable Ellie from this time was Ellie of Strathearn, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in the late 13th century.

The name Ellie continued to be used throughout the centuries, although it was less common than its longer counterpart, Eleanor. One of the earliest recorded uses of Ellie as a given name was in 1586, when Ellie Calvert was born in England.

In the 17th century, Ellie Gwyn, an English courtier and mistress of King Charles II, became a notable figure in British history. Born in 1650, Ellie was a celebrated actress and one of the first women to appear on the English stage.

Another famous Ellie was Ellie Fay, an American singer and vaudeville performer who was born in 1890 and rose to popularity in the early 20th century.

In more recent times, the name Ellie has gained renewed popularity, with several notable figures bearing the name. Ellie Arroway, the main character in the novel and film "Contact" by Carl Sagan, brought the name into the public eye in the late 20th century.

Overall, the name Ellie has a rich history that spans centuries, from its origins in the medieval Provençal form of the Germanic name Alia to its use by notable figures throughout history, including Eleanor of Aquitaine, Ellie Gwyn, and Ellie Fay.

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 Ellie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Ellie first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 14, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/ellie-meaning-and-history/.

"Ellie first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/ellie-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 14 November, 2024

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

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