Ellen

Ellen - A very unique female name

Ellen appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #89. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ellen and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ellen? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Ellen. The baby girl name Ellen was given to 172 baby girls in 2025, ranking #1089 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 7,578 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ellen peaked in popularity 80 years ago in 1946 on position 58.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ellen, 1-5?

Ellen is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ellen is currently topping the baby name charts in Kansas at position #516 - and is the least popular in Georgia at position #1,600.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ellen is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Ellen origin and meaning

Greek, via Helen — also a Dutch and Scandinavian form

Uncertain — Ellen is a form of Helen, whose Greek meaning is itself disputed ('torch' and 'moon' are the usual candidates), and also a traditional Dutch and Scandinavian name

Ellen has been an English name since the Middle Ages as a variant of Helen and Elen. It peaked in 1951, in the Ellen-and-Elaine era, and has fallen steadily, though vintage revivals often bring such names back.

Origin uncertain

Ellen is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Ellen, pop culture references for the name Ellen and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Ellen

We've found the following names that sound similar to Ellen, sorted by popularity.

Elaine / Eileen / Elena / Eliana / Elaina / Elliana / Elma / Elianna / Elana / Ellianna /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Ellen

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Ellen a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ellen?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

EL-uhn · /ˈɛlən/

Around the world

• Ellen (Dutch) — Used as-is in Dutch.
• Ellen (Swedish) — A traditional Swedish name in this spelling.
• Ellen (Danish) — Used as-is in Danish.

Spellings and nicknames

• Elen — The Welsh form, rarely in US data.
• Helen — The classical form Ellen derives from — a separate name.

Nicknames: EllieNellNellie

Famous bearers

• Ellen DeGeneres — American comedian and talk-show host (b. 1958) Contemporary
• Ellen Burstyn — American actress, Oscar winner for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (b. 1932) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Ellen is a calm, no-nonsense classic that is rare for babies now. Its Ellie nickname connects it to today's favourites.

Worth knowing

• It reads as a 1950s name to many.
• Ellen DeGeneres is a dominant single association.