Ella

Norman French in origin, from a Germanic name built on the element alja, other or foreign. In English it has also served as a short form of Eleanor and Ellen.

Ella in 2025

Ella was given to 5,831 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 85th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 569 babies born.

The history of Ella

Ella reached its highest point in 2010, when 9,898 babies were given the name, ranking 51st that year. Its best-ever ranking was 29th, in 1880.

Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 352,214 babies have been named Ella. Half of them were born before 2004, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.

Ella by decade

DecadeBabies named EllaBest rank
1880s13,96729
1890s17,11835
1900s14,84155
1910s25,00284
1920s29,684149
1930s20,121192
1940s16,080262
1950s11,066369
1960s5,195630
1970s2,0961,001
1980s1,5761,463
1990s3,897701
2000s67,64454
2010s85,99348
2020s37,93452

Where Ella is heading

Ella has fallen 26% over the past decade, from 7,918 babies in 2015 to 5,831 in 2025.

Names like Ella

Names that rose and fell at the same time as Ella.

Browse the most popular baby names