Ellison
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Ellison since 1881 — 8,658 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ellison
Ellison is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,067 in 2025 with 228 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 8,658 American babies have been named Ellison — about 66% girls and 34% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 424 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 Ellison stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ellison 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 | 228 | #1,067 | 98 | #1,679 |
| 2024 | 233 | #1,067 | 73 | #2,060 |
| 2023 | 230 | #1,076 | 81 | #1,932 |
| 2022 | 239 | #1,063 | 88 | #1,831 |
| 2021 | 329 | #839 | 95 | #1,713 |
| 2020 | 290 | #906 | 85 | #1,779 |
| 2019 | 323 | #838 | 80 | #1,871 |
| 2018 | 271 | #975 | 100 | #1,628 |
| 2017 | 270 | #974 | 101 | #1,597 |
| 2016 | 298 | #921 | 95 | #1,666 |
| 2015 | 287 | #946 | 92 | #1,695 |
| 2014 | 304 | #893 | 72 | #1,984 |
| 2013 | 266 | #953 | 81 | #1,785 |
| 2012 | 237 | #1,060 | 43 | #2,787 |
| 2011 | 235 | #1,051 | 31 | #3,456 |
| 2010 | 196 | #1,230 | 30 | #3,560 |
| 2009 | 146 | #1,550 | 31 | #3,504 |
| 2008 | 172 | #1,386 | 29 | #3,673 |
| 2007 | 150 | #1,530 | 22 | #4,410 |
| 2006 | 158 | #1,428 | 32 | #3,332 |
| 2005 | 117 | #1,693 | 21 | #4,240 |
| 2004 | 96 | #1,949 | 22 | #4,049 |
| 2003 | 83 | #2,108 | 19 | #4,328 |
| 2002 | 68 | #2,360 | 24 | #3,591 |
| 2001 | 58 | #2,608 | 20 | #4,014 |
| 2000 | 54 | #2,717 | 15 | #4,859 |
| 1995 | 20 | #4,894 | 11 | #5,245 |
| 1990 | 7 | #10,544 | 26 | #2,572 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,154 | 9 | #4,434 |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,610 | 13 | #3,312 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,682 | 14 | #2,797 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,351 | 15 | #2,426 |
| 1965 | — | — | 21 | #1,736 |
| 1960 | — | — | 11 | #2,581 |
| 1955 | — | — | 7 | #3,287 |
| 1950 | — | — | 18 | #1,760 |
| 1945 | — | — | 16 | #1,719 |
| 1940 | — | — | 21 | #1,488 |
| 1935 | — | — | 17 | #1,726 |
| 1930 | — | — | 9 | #2,838 |
| 1925 | — | — | 22 | #1,647 |
| 1920 | — | — | 32 | #1,283 |
| 1915 | — | — | 22 | #1,472 |
| 1910 | — | — | 8 | #1,236 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #944 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ellison
- Ellison Onizuka Astronaut · 1946–1986
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ellison mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Ellison in 2025?
Ellison ranked #1,067 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 228 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ellison?
8,658 babies have been named Ellison in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ellison most popular?
Ellison peaked in 2021, when 424 newborns received the name.
Is Ellison a boy or girl name?
Ellison is used for both: about 66% of babies named Ellison have been girls and 34% boys.
Is the name Ellison rising or falling?
Ellison has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ellison?
Well-known people named Ellison include Ellison Onizuka (astronaut).