Total births
2,846
Girls' name · since 1887
Ela
Since 1887, U.S. Social Security records show 2,846 babies named Ela, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1719
- among girls today
- 2,846
- born since 1887
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Ela is the #1719 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 2,846 recorded since 1887.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ela has been recorded 2,846 times among girls since 1887, currently ranked #1719 nationally and more common than 90% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1887 to 2025.
- #1719 among girls today
- 2,846 born since 1887
- 2010s peak decade
- 90% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ela is currently the #1719 girls' name in America, more common than 90% of girls - 2,846 born since 1887, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1719
- among girls today
- 2,846
- born since 1887
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Ela vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1719
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 90% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
40% of everyone ever named Ela was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
150 babies were named Ela in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Ela compares
2,846 Top 18% higher than 82% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ela's all-time total is 7x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ela | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,846 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 150 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ela's full recorded timeline at 1962, 88% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 12% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1887, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2018 peak of 150 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ela at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#1,719
Active since
1887
Ela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1887–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 150
- Annual births at peak, across 139 years of records
Ela by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Ela's strongest decade.
1,152 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Ela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 19
1880s
19 births
- 1890s 50
1890s
50 births
- 1900s 62
1900s
62 births
- 1910s 76
1910s
76 births
- 1920s 88
1920s
88 births
- 1930s 39
1930s
39 births
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s 18
1960s
18 births
- 1970s 16
1970s
16 births
- 1980s 24
1980s
24 births
- 1990s 76
1990s
76 births
- 2000s
2000s
521 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,152 births
- 2020s
2020s
699 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,152 births (40% of all-time use).
How Ela compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ela's total volume
Ela vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ela by state
Where Ela concentrates geographically, total births since 1887
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 321 | 11.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 262 | 9.2% |
| #3 | Florida | | 189 | 6.6% |
| #4 | Texas | | 182 | 6.4% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 125 | 4.4% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 79 | 2.8% |
| #7 | Massachusetts | | 43 | 1.5% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 33 | 1.2% |
California share of Ela's total US births 11.3%
Even split
321 of 2,846 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Ela appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ela? ▼
2,846 babies have been named Ela since 1887. It currently ranks #1719 among girls. The peak year was 2018 with 150 births.
When was Ela most popular? ▼
Ela was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,152 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Ela most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ela are California (321 births), New York (262 births), Florida (189 births).
How long has the name Ela been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Ela since 1887 -- 139 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Ela? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elaine, Elaina, Elana, Elayna, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ela's data
- Ela's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,152 total births) through the 2020s (699) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Elas (321 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ela
Nearby Names Like Ela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ela
Elaine Girl
#368 262,890 births
Elaina Girl
#254 32,220 births
Elana Girl
#1876 8,909 births
Elayna Girl
#1427 5,251 births
Elayne Girl
#3649 4,114 births
Compare Ela side by side: Ela vs Elaine Ela vs Elaina Ela vs Elana
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ela
Bryleigh #1718
4,689 births · Peak 2015
Venus #1720
9,956 births · Peak 1959
Skylynn #1717
3,339 births · Peak 2018
Ever #1721
2,912 births · Peak 2025
Sedona #1716
2,381 births · Peak 2025
Belinda #1722
72,960 births · Peak 1961
Arlett #1715
1,410 births · Peak 2025
Idalia #1723
3,338 births · Peak 2023
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1887–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ela: #1719 Girls' Name - 2,846 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ela. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ela draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.