The first name Ellen
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ˈɛl.ən/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Medieval English variant of Helen, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē); also used as a variant of Eleanor or a feminine counterpart to Elliot.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 33 girls were named Ellen, making it the 1,028th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 929 births (#63).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ellen with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ellen at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 230 girls born in the United States were named Ellen, the 1,062nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1951, when 5,945 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.
Ellen in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Ellen in Danish, Estonian, Finnish, German, Norwegian and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Ellen
Famous people named Ellen
156 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf24th president of Liberia, born 1938
- Ellen DeGeneresAmerican comedian, television host, actress, and writer (born 1958)
- Ellen BurstynAmerican actress, born 1932
- Ellen G. WhiteAmerican author, co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1827–1915)
- Ellen PompeoAmerican actress (born 1969)
- Ellen BarkinAmerican actress, born 1954
- Ellen TerryEnglish actress (1847–1928)
- Ellen Axson WilsonFirst Lady of the United States from 1913 to 1914
- Ellen Swallow RichardsAmerican chemist (1842-1911)
- Ellen OchoaAmerican engineer and former astronaut, born 1958
- Ellen S. BakerAmerican physician and astronaut, born 1953
- Ellen CorbyAmerican actress (1911-1999)
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Ellen mean?
- Medieval English variant of Helen, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē); also used as a variant of Eleanor or a feminine counterpart to Elliot.
- What is the origin of the name Ellen?
- Medieval English variant of Helen, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē); also used as a variant of Eleanor or a feminine counterpart to Elliot.
- How popular is the name Ellen?
- In 2025, 33 girls born in England and Wales were named Ellen, ranking 1,028th. Its peak was 1996, with 929 births.
- What are nicknames for Ellen?
- Common nicknames for Ellen include Nellie.
- Is Ellen a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 276,029 US babies named Ellen since 1880 were girls.
- When was Ellen most popular?
- 1951 in the United States, when 5,945 babies were named Ellen, its highest rank at 68th.
- How do you pronounce Ellen?
- Ellen is /ˈɛl.ən/, 2 syllables.
- Is Ellen also a surname?
- Yes. Ellen is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.