Ella
The Norman Alia, from a Germanic root for “all”; also a short form of Eleanor and Ellen.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Ella appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in 73 different years between 1880 and 2025. Its biggest year was 2010, when 9,884 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 13 nationally. Its best ranking came in 2011, at No. 12. In 2025 it ranked No. 29 for girls. All told, 352,214 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Eula (47,491), Ela (2,846), Eila (1,906), Eulah (1,871), Ellah (1,034), Eola (740) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Eleanor, Ellen
Explore Ella interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 13,936 | No. 13 |
| 1890s | 17,072 | No. 23 |
| 1900s | 14,763 | No. 42 |
| 1910s | 24,913 | No. 62 |
| 1920s | 29,521 | No. 88 |
| 1930s | 19,962 | No. 107 |
| 1940s | 15,977 | No. 141 |
| 1950s | 11,038 | No. 198 |
| 1960s | 5,176 | No. 352 |
| 1970s | 2,096 | No. 564 |
| 1980s | 1,576 | No. 858 |
| 1990s | 3,897 | No. 373 |
| 2000s | 67,544 | No. 15 |
| 2010s | 85,922 | No. 12 |
| 2020s | 37,920 | No. 15 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.