The first name Ella
A girl’s name.
Pronounced /ˈɛl.ə/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
A 19th-century shortening of Eleanor or Ellen, later also used for any name ending in -ella, such as Gabriella or Daniella. Similar abbreviations have been formed independently in many European languages, for any name containing the syllable -el-, e.g. Elisabeth.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 932 girls were named Ella, making it the 46th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2007, with 3,671 births (#9).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ella with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ella at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 5,831 girls born in the United States were named Ella, the 29th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2010, when 9,884 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Ella in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Ella in Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Norwegian and Swedish too.
Famous people named Ella
53 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ella FitzgeraldAmerican jazz singer (1917–1996)
- Ella PurnellBritish actress (born 1996)
- Ella Josephine BakerAfrican-American civil rights and human rights activist (1903–1986)
- Ella BalinskaEnglish actress, born 1996
- Ella Wheeler WilcoxAmerican author and poet (1850–1919)
- Ella HendersonBritish singer, born 1996
- Ella TooneEnglish association football player, born 1999
- Ella RainesAmerican actress (1920-1988)
- Ella RubinAmerican actress (born 2001)
- Ella EyreBritish singer and songwriter, born 1994
- Ella LangleyAmerican country singer, born 1999
- Ella GrassoAmerican politician; 83rd governor of Connecticut (1975-80)
Questions
- What does the name Ella mean?
- A 19th-century shortening of Eleanor or Ellen, later also used for any name ending in -ella, such as Gabriella or Daniella. Similar abbreviations have been formed independently in many European languages, for any name containing the syllable -el-, e.g. Elisabeth.
- How popular is the name Ella?
- In 2025, 932 girls born in England and Wales were named Ella, ranking 46th. Its peak was 2007, with 3,671 births.
- Is Ella a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 352,214 US babies named Ella since 1880 were girls.
- When was Ella most popular?
- 2010 in the United States, when 9,884 babies were named Ella, its highest rank at 13th.
- How do you pronounce Ella?
- Ella is /ˈɛl.ə/, 2 syllables.