Meaning and history
Ella developed as a short form of names such as Eleanor and other names ending in -ella, though it has long been used independently. Its concise form became familiar across several European languages and has remained popular in English-speaking countries. Notable bearers include jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and civil-rights leader Ella Baker.
20062006: 9,213 births, rank #21
2007: 9,554 births, rank #21
2008: 9,364 births, rank #19
2009: 9,659 births, rank #15
2010: 9,884 births, rank #13
20112011: 9,597 births, rank #12
2012: 9,210 births, rank #12
2013: 8,461 births, rank #15
2014: 8,570 births, rank #17
2015: 7,918 births, rank #18
20162016: 7,940 births, rank #17
2017: 8,084 births, rank #16
2018: 8,127 births, rank #15
2019: 8,131 births, rank #13
2020: 7,372 births, rank #15
20212021: 7,041 births, rank #16
2022: 6,291 births, rank #25
2023: 5,670 births, rank #32
2024: 5,715 births, rank #30
20252025: 5,831 births, rank #29
Ella has completed an unusual full-circle journey. It ranked #13 for girls in 1880, fell to #949 by 1983, and then returned to #29 in 2025. Its highest annual birth count came in 2010, with 9,884 births.