← Back to The High and Late Middle Ages
Girl · Germanic and other sources
Ella
Say it: EL-uh
Meaning
Uncertain. It was used by the Normans as a Germanic name (perhaps from ali 'other' or alja), and later also as a short form of Eleanor, Ellen and Elisabeth.
Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.
Common in the late 19th century and again one of the most popular girls' names today.
Its wave through time
A revival, back after decades away
In the United States
- 321,388 babies given this name since 1880
- At its height in 1887, about 1 in 96 girls
- 7,303 babies in 2020
Through the ages
- The High and Late Middle Ages1100 to 1450
- Victorian and Belle Époque1837 to 1914
- The Modern Age1880 to today
Used by
The family of the name
| German | Ella |
|---|---|
| Swedish | Ella |
Famous bearers
- Ella Fitzgerald, American singer
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- National census records of the 19th and 20th centuries
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- National birth statistics of European countries source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.