Ellen

Meaning & Origin

Meaning: Light; Beautiful

Background: The name Ellen originates from the Greek name 'Helene,' which means 'light.' It was later adopted into English, where it retains the meaning associated with beauty and radiance.

At a glance

Quick stats based on the history of this name.

Lifetime rank
#142
Total births
275,793
Most popular decade
1950s (166,515 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-370 ranks)
Years in Top 100
77
First recorded year
1880

Gender usage

0.3% male 99.7% female

Stats by gender

Male

First year
1884
First year births
5
First year rank
#971
Peak year
1941
Peak year births
22
Peak rank
#1,446
Most recent year
1993
Recent year births
6
Recent rank
#7,638

Female

First year
1880
First year births
411
First year rank
#61
Peak year
1951
Peak year births
5,945
Peak rank
#68
Most recent year
2024
Recent year births
244
Recent rank
#1,026

Births over time

Number of babies given this name each year.

Rank over time

Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).

Related links