Is Ellis a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Ellis is commonly used as a Unisex name.

How popular is Ellis?

It’s currently ranked #258 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Ellis Unisex

Popularity: #258 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

PronunciationEL-iss / ˈɛlɪs

English; Hebrew

Meaning

English: benevolent; Hebrew: God is my God

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ellis has roots in both English and Hebrew traditions. In English, it is derived from the name Elijah, which means 'my God is Yahweh.' The name has been used as a surname and has gained popularity as a first name in recent years. It has been associated with various notable figures and has a timeless appeal.

Trend Summary

Ellis has seen a steady increase in popularity as a boy's name in the United States over the past few decades.

Variants

Elis
Elys

International Variants

Elías (Spanish)
Eli (Hebrew)
Elias (Greek)

Famous people named Ellis

Ellis Peters was a British author known for her historical mystery novels, particularly the Cadfael series.

Ellis Island is a historic site in New York Harbor that served as an immigration station from 1892 to 1954.

Ellis K. Meacham was an American politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ellis Paul is an American singer-songwriter recognized for his contributions to the folk music genre.

Fictional characters named Ellis

Ellis is a character in the video game 'Left 4 Dead 2,' known for his upbeat personality and storytelling.

Ellis Redding is a character in the film 'The Shawshank Redemption,' portrayed as a wise and supportive inmate.

Sibling Suggestions

Ethan Elijah Emma Ella Evelyn Eli

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ellis was first seen in the United States in 1880. Ellis has ranked as high as #475 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in Georgia, California, Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana. In the past 5 years the name Ellis has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Ellis (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	101	9%
CA	77	6%
OH	56	5%
NY	52	4%
NC	51	4%
MI	50	4%
FL	49	4%
GA	45	4%
PA	43	4%
WA	43	4%
TN	43	4%
IN	43	4%
IL	40	3%
VA	32	3%
MO	31	3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	58
1881	58
1882	86
1883	73
1884	73
1885	78
1886	85
1887	66
1888	71
1889	80
1890	71
1891	66
1892	89
1893	79
1894	83
1895	100
1896	106
1897	98
1898	96
1899	98
1900	120
1901	74
1902	112
1903	110
1904	106
1905	103
1906	101
1907	120
1908	123
1909	131
1910	147
1911	167
1912	282
1913	391
1914	426
1915	618
1916	570
1917	574
1918	624
1919	634
1920	646
1921	682
1922	625
1923	657
1924	627
1925	613
1926	607
1927	579
1928	544
1929	545
1930	523
1931	456
1932	436
1933	426
1934	430
1935	438
1936	428
1937	451
1938	476
1939	418
1940	430
1941	443
1942	492
1943	495
1944	450
1945	417
1946	500
1947	510
1948	450
1949	430
1950	461
1951	404
1952	422
1953	453
1954	380
1955	371
1956	419
1957	387
1958	356
1959	317
1960	358
1961	328
1962	276
1963	267
1964	286
1965	230
1966	227
1967	216
1968	203
1969	205
1970	186
1971	204
1972	153
1973	183
1974	171
1975	137
1976	175
1977	154
1978	136
1979	168
1980	172
1981	157
1982	123
1983	139
1984	134
1985	148
1986	161
1987	162
1988	146
1989	172
1990	181
1991	189
1992	186
1993	167
1994	160
1995	166
1996	187
1997	196
1998	184
1999	180
2000	209
2001	167
2002	177
2003	211
2004	212
2005	246
2006	267
2007	262
2008	276
2009	328
2010	314
2011	313
2012	403
2013	501
2014	680
2015	740
2016	999
2017	1,109
2018	1,063
2019	976
2020	1,010
2021	1,037
2022	1,094
2023	1,230
2024	1,250