Ella Girl

Popularity: #28 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EL-uh /ˈɛlə/

Origin: German; English; Hebrew

Meaning: German: fairy maiden; English: beautiful fairy; Hebrew: God has sworn

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ella has its roots in several linguistic traditions, primarily deriving from the Germanic word "ali," meaning "other" or "foreign." This etymology is reflected in its early forms, which include the Old High German "Alia" and the Old English "Ælfgifu," where it was often used as a diminutive or affectionate form. The name was further influenced by the Latin "Aella," which means "a fairy maiden" or "goddess," and it eventually made its way into English through Norman French after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

Historically, the name Ella has been associated with various notable figures. In the 19th century, it gained prominence through literary works, notably in the poetry of Alfred Lord Tennyson, who used it in his writings.

Additionally, the name appears in various forms in medieval literature, often linked to themes of beauty and grace. The name was also borne by saints, such as Saint Ella, a 7th-century figure in the early Christian church, which contributed to its enduring presence in Christian contexts.

Culturally, Ella has resonated through its associations with femininity and elegance, often symbolizing light and beauty. The name has been embraced in various cultures, leading to its adaptation in different languages and forms, such as the diminutive "Ellie".

Its simplicity and melodic quality have allowed it to endure through centuries, making it a timeless choice in various cultural narratives.

Famous people named Ella

In this section, you will find notable people named Ella. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ella who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ella who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ella Fitzgerald is a jazz singer best known for Summertime, Dream a Little Dream of Me, and A-Tisket, A-Tasket.

Ella Purnell is an actress best known for Yellowjackets, Army of the Dead, and The Last Kingdom.

Ella Henderson is a singer-songwriter best known for Ghost, Glow, and Yours.

Ella Mai is a singer-songwriter best known for Boo'd Up, Trip, and Shot Clock.

Ella Balinska is an actress best known for Charlie's Angels, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and Run Sweetheart Run.

Ella Rumpf is an actress best known for Raw, Tiger Girl, and The Last Word.

Fictional characters named Ella

The following list of fictional characters named Ella is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Ella is a fictional character from the novel Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. She is a young woman who is cursed with obedience, leading her on a quest to break the spell and gain her freedom.

Ella is a fictional character from the animated film Cinderella. She is a kind-hearted young woman who overcomes adversity with the help of her fairy godmother to attend the royal ball.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ella, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EmmaAvaLilaMiaSophieChloe

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ella. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

IslaNoraLenaClaraZoeMilaAriaLila

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ella was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Ella has ranked as high as #51 nationally, which occurred in 2010, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Ella has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ella is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ella was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ella.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 5,831 0 5,831
2024 5,715 0 5,715
2023 5,675 5 5,670
2022 6,291 0 6,291
2021 7,050 9 7,041
2020 7,372 0 7,372
2019 8,131 0 8,131
2018 8,137 10 8,127
2017 8,090 6 8,084
2016 7,945 5 7,940
2015 7,918 0 7,918
2014 8,577 7 8,570
2013 8,470 9 8,461
2012 9,223 13 9,210
2011 9,604 7 9,597
2010 9,898 14 9,884
2009 9,671 12 9,659
2008 9,374 10 9,364
2007 9,570 16 9,554
2006 9,227 14 9,213
2005 9,084 12 9,072
2004 8,279 27 8,252
2003 5,918 9 5,909
2002 3,567 0 3,567
2001 1,722 0 1,722
2000 1,232 0 1,232
1999 782 0 782
1998 659 0 659
1997 501 0 501
1996 383 0 383
1995 310 0 310
1994 314 0 314
1993 266 0 266
1992 229 0 229
1991 216 0 216
1990 237 0 237
1989 165 0 165
1988 183 0 183
1987 128 0 128
1986 128 0 128
1985 147 0 147
1984 138 0 138
1983 156 0 156
1982 176 0 176
1981 181 0 181
1980 174 0 174
1979 173 0 173
1978 174 0 174
1977 163 0 163
1976 183 0 183
1975 182 0 182
1974 212 0 212
1973 224 0 224
1972 205 0 205
1971 257 0 257
1970 323 0 323
1969 320 0 320
1968 314 0 314
1967 382 0 382
1966 430 0 430
1965 485 6 479
1964 564 0 564
1963 597 0 597
1962 637 7 630
1961 714 0 714
1960 752 6 746
1959 867 0 867
1958 841 0 841
1957 968 0 968
1956 989 0 989
1955 1,130 5 1,125
1954 1,099 0 1,099
1953 1,170 9 1,161
1952 1,254 9 1,245
1951 1,364 0 1,364
1950 1,384 5 1,379
1949 1,558 6 1,552
1948 1,562 8 1,554
1947 1,641 6 1,635
1946 1,508 9 1,499
1945 1,481 8 1,473
1944 1,578 5 1,573
1943 1,674 10 1,664
1942 1,680 21 1,659
1941 1,716 19 1,697
1940 1,682 11 1,671
1939 1,842 13 1,829
1938 1,737 9 1,728
1937 1,764 16 1,748
1936 1,849 13 1,836
1935 1,922 21 1,901
1934 2,089 18 2,071
1933 2,045 18 2,027
1932 2,275 19 2,256
1931 2,175 13 2,162
1930 2,423 19 2,404
1929 2,494 19 2,475
1928 2,686 16 2,670
1927 2,856 13 2,843
1926 2,870 18 2,852
1925 3,021 15 3,006
1924 3,080 19 3,061
1923 3,008 13 2,995
1922 3,167 17 3,150
1921 3,258 21 3,237
1920 3,244 12 3,232
1919 3,173 15 3,158
1918 3,299 8 3,291
1917 3,069 15 3,054
1916 2,970 5 2,965
1915 2,962 8 2,954
1914 2,318 10 2,308
1913 2,082 11 2,071
1912 1,921 0 1,921
1911 1,613 9 1,604
1910 1,595 8 1,587
1909 1,391 9 1,382
1908 1,434 6 1,428
1907 1,456 6 1,450
1906 1,350 7 1,343
1905 1,448 10 1,438
1904 1,439 7 1,432
1903 1,426 7 1,419
1902 1,532 7 1,525
1901 1,442 7 1,435
1900 1,923 12 1,911
1899 1,510 8 1,502
1898 1,726 11 1,715
1897 1,708 0 1,708
1896 1,689 6 1,683
1895 1,692 0 1,692
1894 1,769 8 1,761
1893 1,760 0 1,760
1892 1,814 6 1,808
1891 1,692 7 1,685
1890 1,758 0 1,758
1889 1,647 0 1,647
1888 1,782 8 1,774
1887 1,521 0 1,521
1886 1,470 6 1,464
1885 1,401 6 1,395
1884 1,380 6 1,374
1883 1,256 5 1,251
1882 1,206 0 1,206
1881 1,148 0 1,148
1880 1,156 0 1,156

Top States for Ella (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 583
10%
TX 472
8%
FL 385
7%
NY 346
6%
OH 236
4%
PA 233
4%
NC 199
4%
IL 186
3%
NJ 172
3%
MI 172
3%
GA 166
3%
TN 145
3%
VA 142
2%
MA 128
2%
MO 120
2%
WA 119
2%
KY 117
2%
IN 114
2%
AL 107
2%
AZ 104
2%
WI 99
2%
MD 91
2%
MN 91
2%
CT 88
2%
SC 83
1%
UT 82
1%
LA 81
1%
CO 81
1%
OK 72
1%
IA 60
1%
KS 56
1%
AR 55
1%
MS 54
1%
OR 51
1%
NE 39
1%
ID 35
1%
NV 32
1%
WV 32
1%
ME 31
1%
ND 27
0%
SD 25
0%
RI 23
0%
NH 23
0%
HI 21
0%
MT 20
0%
NM 18
0%
DC 17
0%
DE 17
0%
VT 15
0%
AK 14
0%
WY 6
0%