Girl's name
Ella
Say it EL-uh
Occitan origin from Eleanor, perhaps other
2 syllables
Where Ella is loved, common and rare
Loved in four German cities, Norway, Sweden and two more places. Common across Israel, the UK, Ireland and 16 more places. Rare in Poland and Italy.
1 in 109 girls born in Scotland in 2025
Norway 4thBerlin 7thSweden 8th
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 31 of the 40 official lists, among them Norway (4th), Berlin (7th) and Sweden (8th).
Show all 31 placesShow less
| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 4th 2025 | 348 | 1 in 63 |
| Berlin city | 7th 2023 | 109 | about 1 in 133 |
| Sweden | 8th 2025 | 464 | about 1 in 87 |
| Cologne city | 9th 2023 | 47 | about 1 in 131 |
| New South Wales state | 11th 2025 | 248 | rank only |
| Israel אלה | 13th 2024 | 769 | about 1 in 102 |
| New Zealand | 13th 2025 | 121 | rank only |
| Scotland | 14th 2025 | 164 | 1 in 109 |
| Victoria state | 16th 2025 | 209 | rank only |
| Ireland | 17th 2025 | 176 | 1 in 120 |
| South Australia state | 17th 2025 | 53 | rank only |
| Munich city | 17th 2025 | 45 | about 1 in 93 |
| Austria | 19th 2025 | 289 | 1 in 124 |
| Ontario province | 23rd 2024 | 260 | about 1 in 209 |
| British Columbia province | 23rd 2023 | 74 | about 1 in 162 |
| Northern Ireland | 25th 2025 | 52 | 1 in 140 |
| Switzerland | 27th 2025 | 157 | 1 in 217 |
| Queensland state | 30th 2025 | 133 | rank only |
| The Netherlands | 41st 2025 | 304 | about 1 in 201 |
| England and Wales | 46th 2025 | 932 | 1 in 272 |
| France | 65th 2025 | 705 | 1 in 407 |
| Quebec province | 73rd 2025 | 73 | about 1 in 356 |
| Slovenia | 81st 2025 | 22 | about 1 in 300 |
| Poland | 308th 2025 | 14 | 1 in 8,556 |
| Italy | 395th 2024 | 35 | 1 in 5,119 |
| Leipzig city | 1st 2025 | 31 | about 1 in 85 |
| Rostock city | 6th 2025 | 10 | about 1 in 98 |
| Denmark | 7th 2025 | 410 | rank only |
| Nova Scotia province | 9th 2025 | 23 | rank only |
| Bonn city | 13th 2025 | 21 | about 1 in 144 |
| Finland | 16th 2025 | 155 | rank only |
Rare, below the listed names: Spain, Catalonia and Hungary.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30), Argentina (top 20) and Croatia (top 50).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Israel publishes names in Hebrew script. The Latin spelling shown is our transliteration; the published form is shown beside it.
Sources: Statistics Norway (SSB) (Norway); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) (Sweden); Stadt Köln, Standesamt (offenedaten-koeln.de) (Cologne); NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages (Data.NSW) (New South Wales); Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel) (Israel); Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), SmartStart (New Zealand); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Registry of BDM Victoria (DataVic) (Victoria); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); SA Attorney-General's Department, Births, Deaths and Marriages (data.sa.gov.au) (South Australia); Landeshauptstadt München, Statistisches Amt (opendata.muenchen.de) (Munich); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); NISRA (Northern Ireland); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland); Queensland Registry of BDM (Qld Open Data Portal) (Queensland); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); Statistični urad Republike Slovenije (SURS), SiStat (Slovenia); Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, rejestr PESEL (dane.gov.pl) (Poland); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); Stadt Leipzig, Standesamt (opendata.leipzig.de) (Leipzig); Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (opendata-hro.de) (Rostock); Statistics Denmark (DST) (Denmark); Nova Scotia Vital Statistics (data.novascotia.ca) (Nova Scotia); Bundesstadt Bonn, Standesamt (opendata.bonn.de) (Bonn); Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) (Finland). How we count, and every source
About the name
Ella began in the 19th century as a shortening of Eleanor or Ellen, and later came to be used for any name ending in -ella, such as Gabriella or Daniella. Through Eleanor it is linked to an Occitan source whose meaning is uncertain, perhaps 'other'.
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Two syllables, EL-uh, give it a light, open sound. Ellie, Elle and Elly are close relatives, and similar short forms have arisen independently in many European languages from names containing -el-, such as Elisabeth.
Ella is especially popular in Scandinavia, ranking among the top names in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, and in the English-speaking world it is well used in New South Wales, New Zealand and Scotland. Its peak in the Ontario and British Columbia records came in 2010, and it has eased back since in most places.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- EL-uh, 2 syllables
- Meaning
- from Eleanor,
perhaps other
- Origin
- Occitan
- Other spellings
- Eleanor
- Ellie
- Elli
- Ela
- Nella
- Suella
- Elle
- Elly
- Ellika
- Aella
Etymology
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 the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 2 of 28 regions, falling in 10.
Show the yearsShow less
Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 39 | 46 |
| Scotland | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 14 |
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 25 |
| Ireland | 11 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 17 |
| Ontario | 11 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 22 | 24 | 23 | |
| British Columbia | 11 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 15 | 23 | 18 | 23 | ||
| Nova Scotia | 20 | 10 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 8 | 9 | |
| New South Wales | 17 | 9 | 17 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 11 |
| Victoria | 13 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 16 |
| Queensland | 15 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 30 |
| South Australia | 10 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 17 |
| New Zealand | 5 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 16 | 13 |
| Quebec | 113 | 87 | 106 | 93 | 82 | 72 | 87 | 94 | 93 | 73 |
| France | 186 | 172 | 118 | 106 | 90 | 66 | 66 | 69 | 68 | 65 |
| The Netherlands | 43 | 42 | 38 | 37 | 33 | 43 | 32 | 27 | 41 | |
| Austria | 35 | 31 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 19 |
| Switzerland | 36 | 26 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 27 |
| Berlin | 14 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | ||
| Munich | 21 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 32 | 24 | 9 | 17 |
| Cologne | 19 | 15 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Bonn | 37 | 14 | 25 | 10 | 33 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 13 |
| Leipzig | 14 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| Rostock | 31 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 6 |
| Norway | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Sweden | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Denmark | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Finland | 16 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 16 | |||||
| Catalonia | 298 | 528 | 486 | 407 | 429 | 532 | ||||
| Italy | 563 | 457 | 512 | 349 | 406 | 395 | ||||
| Poland | 227 | 244 | 290 | 261 | 309 | 330 | 299 | 304 | 359 | 308 |
| Slovenia | 102 | 88 | 60 | 73 | 68 | 73 | 79 | 80 | 75 | 81 |
| Israel | 19 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 13 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 46 | 932 | 368.0 |
| 2024 | 39 | 1,108 | 429.5 |
| 2023 | 27 | 1,307 | 509.4 |
| 2022 | 25 | 1,522 | 577.6 |
| 2021 | 20 | 1,756 | 640.8 |
| 2020 | 16 | 1,887 | 703.0 |
| 2019 | 13 | 2,105 | 751.6 |
| 2018 | 9 | 2,326 | 806.9 |
| 2017 | 9 | 2,452 | 819.8 |
| 2016 | 9 | 2,705 | 880.7 |
| 2015 | 6 | 3,031 | 984.3 |
| 2014 | 16 | 2,468 | 804.8 |
| 2013 | 16 | 2,725 | 883.4 |
| 2012 | 18 | 2,562 | 795.5 |
| 2011 | 16 | 2,783 | 866.1 |
| 2010 | 18 | 2,604 | 811.1 |
| 2009 | 13 | 2,821 | 900.2 |
| 2008 | 12 | 3,047 | 965.0 |
| 2007 | 9 | 3,677 | 1,201.2 |
| 2006 | 11 | 3,292 | 1,100.1 |
| 2005 | 10 | 3,220 | 1,117.1 |
| 2004 | 14 | 3,282 | 1,148.1 |
| 2003 | 12 | 3,494 | 1,253.8 |
| 2002 | 16 | 2,763 | 1,033.4 |
| 2001 | 19 | 2,283 | 851.9 |
| 2000 | 27 | 2,025 | 741.3 |
| 1999 | 27 | 1,881 | 667.7 |
| 1998 | 38 | 1,538 | 531.9 |
| 1997 | 44 | 1,300 | 443.4 |
| 1996 | 56 | 1,137 | 384.1 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
Ontario and British Columbia since 1925
Half of the babies named Ella in Ontario and British Columbia since 1925 were born in or after 2011. First recorded in 1925. Her peak year there: 2010, at 1,221.9 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Ella per 100,000 girls born in Ontario and British Columbia, by five-year period. Her 2010 peak is averaged into its five-year period, so the line sits below it.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (1917-2024), OGL-Ontario; BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (1924-2023), OGL-BC.
Sister names for Ella
1 in 99 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ella.
Similar forms, not dealt separately: Sofia and Sophie.
1 in 70 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Ella.
1 in 108 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ella.
1 in 154 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Ella. Same first letter as Ella.
1 in 132 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ella.
1 in 88 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ella.
1 in 228 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Ella. Same first letter as Ella.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Ella.
1 in 330 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Ella.
1 in 124 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ella.
Middle names for Ella
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Ella Grace
2-1 beats · initials EG
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 71 in Scotland
Ella Olivia
2-4 beats · initials EO · Ella slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 4 syllables. Ella slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 99 in Scotland
Ella Sophia
2-3 beats · initials ES
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 311 in Ireland
Ella Maria
2-3 beats · initials EM
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 214 in Northern Ireland
Ella Rose
2-1 beats · initials ER
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 491 in Ireland
Ella Julia
2-3 beats · initials EJ
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 1,286 in England and Wales
Ella Miriam
2-3 beats · initials EM
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 78 in Northern Ireland
Ella Emily
2-3 beats · initials EE · Ella slides into Emily: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Ella: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables. Ella slides into Emily: vowel meets vowel.
Same style as Ella
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 108 in Scotland
96% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 70 in Ireland
96% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 88 in Scotland
96% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 78 in Northern Ireland
95% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 146 in Northern Ireland
95% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 126 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 188 in Scotland
95% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
1 in 99 in Scotland
94% alike: moves with Ella across countries and decades.
Famous people named Ella
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Purnell, Ella Baker, Ella Balinska, Ella Henderson, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Ella Toone and Ella Raines.
Show all 8Show less
-
American jazz singer (1917–1996)
-
British actress (born 1996)
-
African-American civil rights and human rights activist (1903–1986)
-
English actress born 1996
-
British singer born 1996
-
American author and poet (1850–1919)
-
English association football player born 1999
-
American actress (1920-1988)
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Ella
5 questions, on how popular she is, what it means, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
Show all 5 questionsShow less
How popular is Ella?
Her best rank is No. 4 in Norway in 2025, about 1 in 63 girls. She is in the published lists of 31 of our 40 regions.
What does Ella mean?
Ella takes her meaning from Eleanor: "perhaps other", per Wiktionary.
How do you pronounce Ella?
EL-uh, with 2 syllables.
Is Ella getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 2 of 28 regions, falling in 10.
Which sister names go with Ella?
The deck's top five sisters for Ella: Sophia, Lily, Ava, Emma and Maya. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.