Ellie Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EL-ee /ˈɛli/
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: English: bright shining one; Greek: torch
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Ellie has its roots in the Hebrew name Eliana, which means "God has answered me." This name was adapted into Greek as Helene, which carries the meaning of "torch" or "light." The transition into Latin occurred as Helena, a name borne by several early saints and the mother of Emperor Constantine, who played a significant role in the establishment of Christianity in the Roman Empire during the 4th century. The name eventually made its way into Old French as Hélène before being adopted into English, where it became popularized in various forms, including Ellie, as a diminutive or affectionate variant.
Throughout history, the name Ellie has been associated with notable figures, including Saint Helena, who is venerated in both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions. Her legacy, particularly her reputed discovery of the True Cross in the 4th century, has contributed to the name's enduring significance in Christian contexts.
The name also appears in various literary works, enhancing its cultural resonance. For instance, it has been used in children's literature and popular fiction, where characters named Ellie often embody qualities of kindness and resilience.
In addition to its religious and literary associations, the name Ellie has been embraced in various cultures, often symbolizing light and hope. The diminutive form has been used affectionately, reflecting a sense of warmth and familiarity.
This connection to light and positivity has helped the name maintain its appeal across generations, making it a cherished choice in many families. Overall, the name Ellie encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural significance, rooted in ancient traditions and historical narratives.
Famous people named Ellie
In this section, you will find notable people named Ellie. 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 Ellie who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Ellie 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.
Ellie Goulding is a singer and songwriter best known for Lights, Burn, and Love Me Like You Do.
Ellie Kemper is an actress and comedian best known for The Office, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Bridesmaids.
Ellie Bamber is an actress best known for Nocturnal Animals, The Falling, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
Ellie Sattler is a fictional character best known as a paleontologist in the Jurassic Park franchise.
Fictional characters named Ellie
The following list of fictional characters named Ellie 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.
Ellie is a fictional character from the video game series The Last of Us. She is a young survivor in a post-apocalyptic world who plays a crucial role in the story's emotional depth and character development.
Ellie is a fictional character from the animated film Up. She is the adventurous and spirited wife of Carl Fredricksen, whose dreams inspire him throughout the film.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ellie, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ellie. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Ellie was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Ellie has ranked as high as #65 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Ohio, Florida, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Ellie has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Ellie 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 Ellie was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Ellie (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 709 | |
| TX | 663 | |
| FL | 372 | |
| OH | 264 | |
| NY | 252 | |
| PA | 228 | |
| NC | 227 | |
| GA | 211 | |
| TN | 182 | |
| IL | 166 | |
| IN | 158 | |
| MO | 150 | |
| AZ | 145 | |
| WA | 141 | |
| KY | 141 |
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 Ellie.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 6,306 |
| 2023 | 5,968 |
| 2022 | 5,784 |
| 2021 | 5,864 |
| 2020 | 5,601 |
| 2019 | 5,430 |
| 2018 | 5,221 |
| 2017 | 5,019 |
| 2016 | 5,072 |
| 2015 | 4,873 |
| 2014 | 4,487 |
| 2013 | 3,764 |
| 2012 | 3,388 |
| 2011 | 3,064 |
| 2010 | 2,912 |
| 2009 | 2,234 |
| 2008 | 1,996 |
| 2007 | 2,010 |
| 2006 | 1,996 |
| 2005 | 1,890 |
| 2004 | 1,817 |
| 2003 | 1,728 |
| 2002 | 1,619 |
| 2001 | 906 |
| 2000 | 829 |
| 1999 | 708 |
| 1998 | 603 |
| 1997 | 432 |
| 1996 | 374 |
| 1995 | 359 |
| 1994 | 252 |
| 1993 | 255 |
| 1992 | 234 |
| 1991 | 169 |
| 1990 | 173 |
| 1989 | 128 |
| 1988 | 91 |
| 1987 | 87 |
| 1986 | 58 |
| 1985 | 48 |
| 1984 | 57 |
| 1983 | 71 |
| 1982 | 71 |
| 1981 | 81 |
| 1980 | 75 |
| 1979 | 81 |
| 1978 | 57 |
| 1977 | 60 |
| 1976 | 69 |
| 1975 | 70 |
| 1974 | 54 |
| 1973 | 55 |
| 1972 | 47 |
| 1971 | 30 |
| 1970 | 44 |
| 1969 | 53 |
| 1968 | 44 |
| 1967 | 41 |
| 1966 | 39 |
| 1965 | 60 |
| 1964 | 63 |
| 1963 | 76 |
| 1962 | 66 |
| 1961 | 60 |
| 1960 | 74 |
| 1959 | 67 |
| 1958 | 59 |
| 1957 | 53 |
| 1956 | 57 |
| 1955 | 62 |
| 1954 | 52 |
| 1953 | 59 |
| 1952 | 48 |
| 1951 | 43 |
| 1950 | 43 |
| 1949 | 37 |
| 1948 | 44 |
| 1947 | 42 |
| 1946 | 45 |
| 1945 | 42 |
| 1944 | 31 |
| 1943 | 36 |
| 1942 | 35 |
| 1941 | 45 |
| 1940 | 38 |
| 1939 | 38 |
| 1938 | 39 |
| 1937 | 48 |
| 1936 | 46 |
| 1935 | 44 |
| 1934 | 47 |
| 1933 | 46 |
| 1932 | 35 |
| 1931 | 43 |
| 1930 | 55 |
| 1929 | 54 |
| 1928 | 56 |
| 1927 | 66 |
| 1926 | 71 |
| 1925 | 91 |
| 1924 | 87 |
| 1923 | 82 |
| 1922 | 93 |
| 1921 | 84 |
| 1920 | 83 |
| 1919 | 89 |
| 1918 | 123 |
| 1917 | 84 |
| 1916 | 83 |
| 1915 | 90 |
| 1914 | 70 |
| 1913 | 81 |
| 1912 | 64 |
| 1911 | 47 |
| 1910 | 50 |
| 1909 | 38 |
| 1908 | 56 |
| 1907 | 56 |
| 1906 | 51 |
| 1905 | 54 |
| 1904 | 54 |
| 1903 | 48 |
| 1902 | 51 |
| 1901 | 60 |
| 1900 | 65 |
| 1899 | 48 |
| 1898 | 53 |
| 1897 | 44 |
| 1896 | 52 |
| 1895 | 37 |
| 1894 | 53 |
| 1893 | 47 |
| 1892 | 41 |
| 1891 | 38 |
| 1890 | 40 |
| 1889 | 34 |
| 1888 | 41 |
| 1887 | 39 |
| 1886 | 34 |
| 1885 | 25 |
| 1884 | 28 |
| 1883 | 24 |
| 1882 | 37 |
| 1881 | 27 |
| 1880 | 17 |