Ellis

Ellis - A very unique male name

Ellis appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #196. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ellis and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ellis? 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 Ellis. The baby boy name Ellis was given to 1,397 baby boys in 2025, ranking #244 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,050 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ellis peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 173.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ellis, 1-5?

Ellis is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ellis is currently topping the baby name charts in Maine at position #131 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #615.

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 Ellis is where you live.

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Ellis origin and meaning

Welsh and English — derivation disputed

Uncertain — commonly explained as the Welsh form of Elias ("my God is Yahweh"), with surname roots that may be separate

Ellis sits at a crossroads: medieval records show it as a form of Elijah/Elias, Welsh tradition claims it, and it also lived as a surname, so no single line explains every Ellis. As a first name it has run since 1910 in America and reached its peak in 2025 on the vintage-surname wave.

Origin uncertain

Ellis is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Ellis

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

Elijah / Elias / Elisha / Eliseo / Elzie / Elyas / Elyjah / Eligio / Elza / Eligah /

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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 Ellis

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 Ellis 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 male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ellis?

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.

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Pronunciation

EL-iss · /ˈɛlɪs/

Around the world

• Elis (Welsh) — The Welsh spelling of the related form

Spellings and nicknames

• Elis — The Welsh spelling, occasionally used in America

Nicknames: El

Famous bearers

• Ellis Marsalis Jr. — Jazz pianist and educator, patriarch of the Marsalis musical family (1934–2020) Contemporary
• Ellis Burks — Baseball outfielder, two-time All-Star (b. 1964) Contemporary

Style

SurnameVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Parents pick Ellis for its soft, tailored vintage feel — a surname-style name gentler than Elliott and less used than Elias.

Worth knowing

• Ellis is now given to girls in significant numbers too, so it is drifting unisex.
• It is sound-alike with Alice and Elias, and the Welsh-form-of-Elias story, while standard, is not the whole record.