Ellis
Ellis is a unisex name: 415 girls and 1,417 boys were given it in 2025 (#682 among girls’ names and #243 among boys’, #372 among all names counting both); 57,731 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 34,900 Americans named Ellis and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (61% of everyone recorded); the median is 13 years old and half are between 6 and 48.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Ellis by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Ellis mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Ellis is “a unisex given name transferred from the surname.”
As an English surname, from the Middle English personal name Elis, an Old French form of Elias. Compare Elijah, Lias, Ely. Also sometimes from the Elice, a pet form of Elizabeth.
As a Welsh surname, shortened from the personal name Elisse, Elisedd, from the archaic elus (“benevolent, kind”).
/ˈɛ.lɪs/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Ellis?
#243 among boys’ names, 2025
Ellis rose from #422 in 2015 to #243 in 2025 among boys’ names; its share of boys born rose from 0.39 to 0.83 per 1,000.
1,832 babies in 2025, the peak
Ellis peaked in 2025, when 1,832 babies were given it (1,417 boys, #243 among boys’ names). In 2024 it went to 1,250 boys.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 415 | #682 | 1,417 | #243 |
| 2024 | 404 | #697 | 1,250 | #273 |
| 2023 | 375 | #752 | 1,230 | #275 |
| 2022 | 422 | #699 | 1,094 | #307 |
| 2021 | 501 | #597 | 1,038 | #320 |
| 2020 | 472 | #618 | 1,010 | #326 |
| 2019 | 398 | #717 | 976 | #343 |
| 2018 | 352 | #775 | 1,063 | #318 |
| 2017 | 380 | #743 | 1,109 | #311 |
| 2016 | 337 | #844 | 999 | #347 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 282 | #963 | 740 | #422 |
| 2014 | 238 | #1,076 | 680 | #443 |
| 2013 | 227 | #1,087 | 501 | #531 |
| 2012 | 216 | #1,140 | 403 | #611 |
| 2011 | 186 | #1,276 | 313 | #726 |
| 2010 | 151 | #1,491 | 314 | #729 |
| 2009 | 124 | #1,762 | 328 | #721 |
| 2008 | 110 | #1,919 | 276 | #795 |
| 2007 | 111 | #1,879 | 262 | #815 |
| 2006 | 100 | #1,993 | 267 | #777 |
| 2005 | 85 | #2,168 | 246 | #790 |
| 2004 | 47 | #3,228 | 212 | #838 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2,846 | 211 | #829 |
| 2002 | 40 | #3,408 | 177 | #910 |
| 2001 | 50 | #2,884 | 167 | #927 |
| 2000 | 34 | #3,752 | 209 | #785 |
| 1999 | 32 | #3,735 | 180 | #835 |
| 1998 | 46 | #2,855 | 184 | #816 |
| 1997 | 38 | #3,119 | 196 | #757 |
| 1996 | 30 | #3,652 | 187 | #780 |
| 1995 | 38 | #3,034 | 166 | #832 |
| 1994 | 21 | #4,727 | 160 | #844 |
| 1993 | 34 | #3,306 | 167 | #817 |
| 1992 | 23 | #4,410 | 186 | #764 |
| 1991 | 12 | #7,083 | 189 | #737 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,576 | 181 | #753 |
| 1989 | 11 | #7,112 | 172 | #749 |
| 1988 | 15 | #5,399 | 146 | #779 |
| 1987 | 11 | #6,444 | 162 | #718 |
| 1986 | 13 | #5,527 | 161 | #714 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,778 | 148 | #726 |
| 1984 | under 5 | 134 | #749 | |
| 1983 | under 5 | 139 | #732 | |
| 1982 | 5 | #10,964 | 123 | #799 |
| 1981 | 9 | #6,952 | 157 | #689 |
| 1980 | under 5 | 172 | #661 | |
| 1979 | 5 | #10,649 | 168 | #659 |
| 1978 | 8 | #7,132 | 136 | #722 |
| 1977 | under 5 | 154 | #683 | |
| 1976 | under 5 | 175 | #619 | |
| 1975 | under 5 | 137 | #709 | |
| 1974 | under 5 | 169 | #619 | |
| 1973 | under 5 | 182 | #587 | |
| 1972 | 5 | #8,636 | 153 | #645 |
| 1971 | 6 | #7,651 | 204 | #573 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,349 | 186 | #594 |
| 1969 | 5 | #7,796 | 205 | #548 |
| 1968 | 6 | #6,462 | 203 | #536 |
| 1967 | 5 | #7,079 | 216 | #511 |
| 1966 | 6 | #6,008 | 227 | #504 |
| 1965 | 7 | #5,444 | 230 | #502 |
| 1964 | 5 | #7,058 | 286 | #468 |
| 1963 | under 5 | 267 | #491 | |
| 1962 | 5 | #6,853 | 276 | #480 |
| 1961 | 9 | #4,642 | 328 | #444 |
| 1960 | 14 | #3,402 | 358 | #421 |
| 1959 | 8 | #4,749 | 317 | #452 |
| 1958 | 14 | #3,272 | 356 | #415 |
| 1957 | 12 | #3,535 | 387 | #391 |
| 1956 | 7 | #4,974 | 419 | #358 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,103 | 371 | #374 |
| 1954 | 7 | #4,798 | 380 | #364 |
| 1953 | 9 | #4,027 | 453 | #330 |
| 1952 | 7 | #4,608 | 422 | #337 |
| 1951 | 15 | #2,726 | 404 | #339 |
| 1950 | 22 | #2,069 | 461 | #319 |
| 1949 | 6 | #4,843 | 430 | #330 |
| 1948 | 16 | #2,519 | 450 | #316 |
| 1947 | 9 | #3,796 | 510 | #306 |
| 1946 | 10 | #3,288 | 500 | #289 |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,638 | 417 | #292 |
| 1944 | 14 | #2,434 | 450 | #282 |
| 1943 | 18 | #2,097 | 495 | #274 |
| 1942 | 18 | #2,066 | 492 | #268 |
| 1941 | 12 | #2,569 | 443 | #272 |
| 1940 | 9 | #3,028 | 430 | #270 |
| 1939 | 17 | #1,964 | 418 | #266 |
| 1938 | 14 | #2,262 | 476 | #248 |
| 1937 | 13 | #2,353 | 451 | #252 |
| 1936 | 13 | #2,303 | 428 | #260 |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,991 | 438 | #257 |
| 1934 | 11 | #2,611 | 430 | #261 |
| 1933 | 10 | #2,737 | 426 | #254 |
| 1932 | 13 | #2,403 | 436 | #260 |
| 1931 | 18 | #1,897 | 456 | #251 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,739 | 523 | #242 |
| 1929 | 16 | #2,118 | 545 | #232 |
| 1928 | 22 | #1,798 | 544 | #238 |
| 1927 | 18 | #2,121 | 579 | #229 |
| 1926 | 12 | #2,755 | 607 | #224 |
| 1925 | 19 | #2,054 | 613 | #220 |
| 1924 | 13 | #2,704 | 627 | #216 |
| 1923 | 20 | #1,961 | 657 | #204 |
| 1922 | 22 | #1,852 | 625 | #210 |
| 1921 | 21 | #1,939 | 682 | #203 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,499 | 646 | #204 |
| 1919 | 15 | #2,293 | 634 | #198 |
| 1918 | 23 | #1,708 | 624 | #206 |
| 1917 | 17 | #2,020 | 574 | #201 |
| 1916 | 14 | #2,286 | 570 | #200 |
| 1915 | 21 | #1,639 | 618 | #182 |
| 1914 | 13 | #1,937 | 426 | #195 |
| 1913 | 14 | #1,620 | 391 | #174 |
| 1912 | 8 | #2,206 | 282 | #202 |
| 1911 | 7 | #2,024 | 167 | #185 |
| 1910 | under 5 | 147 | #185 | |
| 1909 | under 5 | 131 | #178 | |
| 1908 | 9 | #1,464 | 123 | #177 |
| 1907 | 7 | #1,686 | 120 | #182 |
| 1906 | 6 | #1,798 | 101 | #177 |
| 1905 | under 5 | 103 | #181 | |
| 1904 | under 5 | 106 | #173 | |
| 1903 | 6 | #1,657 | 110 | #160 |
| 1902 | 10 | #1,155 | 112 | #158 |
| 1901 | 6 | #1,537 | 74 | #195 |
| 1900 | under 5 | 120 | #173 | |
| 1899 | 8 | #1,203 | 98 | #155 |
| 1898 | under 5 | 96 | #170 | |
| 1897 | under 5 | 98 | #157 | |
| 1896 | 9 | #1,154 | 106 | #156 |
| 1895 | under 5 | 100 | #156 | |
| 1894 | 7 | #1,267 | 83 | #182 |
| 1893 | 6 | #1,322 | 79 | #185 |
| 1892 | 5 | #1,519 | 89 | #177 |
| 1891 | under 5 | 66 | #189 | |
| 1890 | under 5 | 71 | #190 | |
| 1889 | 7 | #1,055 | 80 | #168 |
| 1888 | 6 | #1,180 | 71 | #206 |
| 1887 | under 5 | 66 | #188 | |
| 1886 | under 5 | 85 | #163 | |
| 1885 | under 5 | 78 | #169 | |
| 1884 | under 5 | 73 | #188 | |
| 1883 | 7 | #771 | 73 | #168 |
| 1882 | under 5 | 86 | #159 | |
| 1881 | under 5 | 58 | #194 | |
| 1880 | under 5 | 58 | #210 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Ellis a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 57,731 Americans recorded as Ellis, 13% are girls and 87% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Ellis: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Ellis, and how old are they?
34,900 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 61% of the 57,731 Americans ever recorded as Ellis. The median Ellis alive today is 13 years old; half are between 6 and 48.
The 2020 Census counted 25,901 people named Ellis (4,326 women and girls, 21,575 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 28,057 born in the U.S. The Census count is 8% below that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 1,640 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 4,880 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 2,610 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 2,690 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 5,300 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 17,800 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Ellis born?
The states with the most babies named Ellis are Texas, California and Tennessee, with 21% of its births recorded by state in 2025; Tennessee is not among the ten states with the most births.
| State | Births 2025 | Rank, boys | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 156 | #324 | 0.9× |
| California | 122 | #347 | 0.6× |
| Tennessee | 96 | #139 | 1.3× |
| Ohio | 81 | #209 | 0.7× |
| North Carolina | 78 | #217 | 1.5× |
| Georgia | 76 | #213 | 1.7× |
| New York | 74 | #302 | 0.5× |
| Pennsylvania | 72 | #218 | 0.7× |
| Florida | 63 | #405 | 0.9× |
| Michigan | 57 | #205 | 0.7× |
Where Ellis is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Ellis is most over-represented in Mississippi: since 1910 it was given 2.5 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among boys’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Ellis with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 8 names spelled alike, given to 191,428 babies since 1880, Ellis is the second most given (30% of them). In 2025 it was given to 1,832 of their 10,866 babies (17%), again the second most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Ellis
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Ellis and names like it
- Compare Ellis and EliasBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 2020sEllis peaked in 2025.
- Texas’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Ellis since 1910.
- From surnamesWiktionary’s origin for Ellis: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 2025The year the most babies were named Ellis.
- The names of Generation AlphaMost people named Ellis alive today were born 2013-2025.
- Names starting with EMost given first.