Total births
144
Unisex name · since 1882
Ell
144 babies named Ell in U.S. Social Security records since 1882, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 144
- total births
- 1882–1948
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
Ell sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 144 recorded since 1882.
Social Security Administration records show Ell recorded 144 times among boys since 1882, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 1948.
- 144 total births
- 1882–1948 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
144 boys have been named Ell since 1882, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1948.
- 144
- total births
- 1882–1948
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Ell was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
10 babies were named Ell in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
Ell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ell splits its recorded history at 1923: 49% of all births land in the more recent half, 51% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1882 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 10 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ell at a glance
Last recorded 1948Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1882
Ell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–1948
- Peak year (1920)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 67 years of records
Ell popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1916 (Ell as girls' name)
Ell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ell's strongest decade.
56 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Ell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
45 births
- 1920s
1920s
56 births
- 1930s 16
1930s
16 births
- 1940s 22
1940s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 56 births (39% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ell? ▼
Ell has been given to 144 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1948. 10 babies were born in 1920, its single highest year.
When was Ell most popular? ▼
Ell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 56 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Is Ell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ell is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 144 births, and as a girl's name it has 10 births.
How long has the name Ell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Ell since 1882 -- 67 years through the most recent 1948 data.
What names are similar to Ell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elliott, Elliot, Ellis, Ellsworth, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ell's data
- Ell's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (56 total births) through the 1940s (22) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Ell
Nearby Names Like Ell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ell
Elliott Boy
#162 62,551 births
Elliot Boy
#150 58,592 births
Ellis Boy
#273 50,403 births
Ellsworth Boy
#12356 7,337 births
Ellison Boy
#2060 2,963 births
Compare Ell side by side: Ell vs Elliott Ell vs Elliot Ell vs Ellis
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1882–1948 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ell: Baby Name Since 1882 - 144 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ell. 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 Ell 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.