Ellis
A surname from Welsh [in turn originating as a patronymic] and A male given name from Welsh, an anglicization of Elisedd.
Every Ellis since 1880 — 57,731 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ellis
Ellis is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #243 in 2025 with 1,417 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 57,731 American babies have been named Ellis — about 87% boys and 13% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,832 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ellis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ellis year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each 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 |
| 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 | #2,169 | 246 | #790 |
| 2004 | 47 | #3,232 | 212 | #839 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2,849 | 211 | #830 |
| 2002 | 40 | #3,412 | 177 | #911 |
| 2001 | 50 | #2,888 | 167 | #928 |
| 2000 | 34 | #3,757 | 209 | #787 |
| 1995 | 38 | #3,039 | 166 | #835 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,582 | 181 | #757 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,781 | 148 | #726 |
| 1980 | — | — | 172 | #661 |
| 1975 | — | — | 137 | #709 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,350 | 186 | #594 |
| 1965 | 7 | #5,445 | 230 | #502 |
| 1960 | 14 | #3,403 | 358 | #421 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,105 | 371 | #375 |
| 1950 | 22 | #2,070 | 461 | #319 |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,639 | 417 | #292 |
| 1940 | 9 | #3,030 | 430 | #270 |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,993 | 438 | #257 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,740 | 523 | #242 |
| 1925 | 19 | #2,055 | 613 | #220 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,499 | 646 | #204 |
| 1915 | 21 | #1,639 | 618 | #182 |
| 1910 | — | — | 147 | #185 |
| 1905 | — | — | 103 | #181 |
| 1900 | — | — | 120 | #173 |
| 1895 | — | — | 100 | #156 |
| 1890 | — | — | 71 | #190 |
| 1885 | — | — | 78 | #169 |
| 1880 | — | — | 58 | #210 |
Famous people named Ellis
- Ellis Marsalis Jr. Musician · 1934–2020
- Ellis Clarke Politician · 1917–2010
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ellis mean?
A surname from Welsh [in turn originating as a patronymic] and A male given name from Welsh, an anglicization of Elisedd.
How popular is the name Ellis in 2025?
Ellis ranked #243 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,417 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ellis?
57,731 babies have been named Ellis in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ellis most popular?
Ellis peaked in 2025, when 1,832 newborns received the name.
Is Ellis a boy or girl name?
Ellis is used for both: about 13% of babies named Ellis have been girls and 87% boys.
Is the name Ellis rising or falling?
Ellis is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ellis?
Well-known people named Ellis include Ellis Marsalis Jr. (musician), Ellis Clarke (politician).