Ella
#29 for girls in 2025, 5,831 births · Last seen for boys in 2023 at #12,239
Given to girls 99.7% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 2011 · 9,597 births
- Debut · girls
- 1,156 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 73 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 351,313since 1880
Ella over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #29 | 5,831 | — | |
| 2024 | #30 | 5,715 | — | |
| 2023 | #32 | 5,670 | #12,239 | 5 |
| 2022 | #25 | 6,291 | — | |
| 2021 | #16 | 7,041 | #8,166 | 9 |
| 2020 | #15 | 7,372 | — | |
| 2019 | #13 | 8,131 | — | |
| 2018 | #15 | 8,127 | #7,617 | 10 |
| 2017 | #16 | 8,084 | #10,775 | 6 |
| 2016 | #17 | 7,940 | #12,185 | 5 |
| 2015 | #18 | 7,918 | — | |
| 2014 | #17 | 8,570 | #9,642 | 7 |
| 2013 | #15 | 8,461 | #8,118 | 9 |
| 2012 | #12 | 9,210 | #6,306 | 13 |
| 2011 | #12 | 9,597 | #9,600 | 7 |
| 2010 | #13 | 9,884 | #6,036 | 14 |
| 2009 | #15 | 9,659 | #6,802 | 12 |
| 2008 | #19 | 9,364 | #7,698 | 10 |
| 2007 | #21 | 9,554 | #5,434 | 16 |
| 2006 | #21 | 9,213 | #5,781 | 14 |
| 2005 | #23 | 9,072 | #6,226 | 12 |
| 2004 | #29 | 8,252 | #3,456 | 27 |
| 2003 | #44 | 5,909 | #7,245 | 9 |
| 2002 | #89 | 3,567 | — | |
| 2001 | #190 | 1,722 | — | |
| 2000 | #264 | 1,232 | — | |
| 1999 | #373 | 782 | — | |
| 1998 | #409 | 659 | — | |
| 1997 | #492 | 501 | — | |
| 1996 | #595 | 383 | — | |
| 1995 | #686 | 310 | — | |
| 1994 | #675 | 314 | — | |
| 1993 | #775 | 266 | — | |
| 1992 | #862 | 229 | — | |
| 1991 | #899 | 216 | — | |
| 1990 | #827 | 237 | — | |
| 1989 | #1,037 | 165 | — | |
| 1988 | #923 | 183 | — | |
| 1987 | #1,150 | 128 | — | |
| 1986 | #1,129 | 128 | — | |
| 1985 | #1,023 | 147 | — | |
| 1984 | #1,028 | 138 | — | |
| 1983 | #947 | 156 | — | |
| 1982 | #876 | 176 | — | |
| 1981 | #858 | 181 | — | |
| 1980 | #881 | 174 | — | |
| 1979 | #881 | 173 | — | |
| 1978 | #849 | 174 | — | |
| 1977 | #880 | 163 | — | |
| 1976 | #780 | 183 | — | |
| 1975 | #774 | 182 | — | |
| 1974 | #693 | 212 | — | |
| 1973 | #664 | 224 | — | |
| 1972 | #705 | 205 | — | |
| 1971 | #640 | 257 | — | |
| 1970 | #564 | 323 | — | |
| 1969 | #551 | 320 | — | |
| 1968 | #543 | 314 | — | |
| 1967 | #486 | 382 | — | |
| 1966 | #453 | 430 | — | |
| 1965 | #429 | 479 | #3,537 | 6 |
| 1964 | #411 | 564 | — | |
| 1963 | #393 | 597 | — | |
| 1962 | #374 | 630 | #3,305 | 7 |
| 1961 | #358 | 714 | — | |
| 1960 | #352 | 746 | #3,665 | 6 |
| 1959 | #314 | 867 | — | |
| 1958 | #320 | 841 | — | |
| 1957 | #290 | 968 | — | |
| 1956 | #276 | 989 | — | |
| 1955 | #244 | 1,125 | #3,886 | 5 |
| 1954 | #244 | 1,099 | — | |
| 1953 | #235 | 1,161 | #2,709 | 9 |
| 1952 | #220 | 1,245 | #2,680 | 9 |
| 1951 | #206 | 1,364 | — | |
| 1950 | #198 | 1,379 | #3,681 | 5 |
| 1949 | #177 | 1,552 | #3,298 | 6 |
| 1948 | #177 | 1,554 | #2,788 | 8 |
| 1947 | #177 | 1,635 | #3,370 | 6 |
| 1946 | #177 | 1,499 | #2,534 | 9 |
| 1945 | #158 | 1,473 | #2,574 | 8 |
| 1944 | #158 | 1,573 | #3,430 | 5 |
| 1943 | #155 | 1,664 | #2,405 | 10 |
| 1942 | #152 | 1,659 | #1,537 | 21 |
| 1941 | #141 | 1,697 | #1,588 | 19 |
| 1940 | #146 | 1,671 | #2,179 | 11 |
| 1939 | #132 | 1,829 | #1,958 | 13 |
| 1938 | #140 | 1,728 | #2,479 | 9 |
| 1937 | #134 | 1,748 | #1,756 | 16 |
| 1936 | #126 | 1,836 | #1,964 | 13 |
| 1935 | #122 | 1,901 | #1,494 | 21 |
| 1934 | #113 | 2,071 | #1,658 | 18 |
| 1933 | #113 | 2,027 | #1,644 | 18 |
| 1932 | #108 | 2,256 | #1,651 | 19 |
| 1931 | #110 | 2,162 | #2,101 | 13 |
| 1930 | #107 | 2,404 | #1,693 | 19 |
| 1929 | #102 | 2,475 | #1,731 | 19 |
| 1928 | #100 | 2,670 | #1,960 | 16 |
| 1927 | #98 | 2,843 | #2,298 | 13 |
| 1926 | #98 | 2,852 | #1,846 | 18 |
| 1925 | #93 | 3,006 | #2,089 | 15 |
| 1924 | #94 | 3,061 | #1,839 | 19 |
| 1923 | #93 | 2,995 | #2,331 | 13 |
| 1922 | #90 | 3,150 | #1,952 | 17 |
| 1921 | #89 | 3,237 | #1,703 | 21 |
| 1920 | #88 | 3,232 | #2,459 | 12 |
| 1919 | #87 | 3,158 | #2,063 | 15 |
| 1918 | #84 | 3,291 | #3,096 | 8 |
| 1917 | #83 | 3,054 | #1,986 | 15 |
| 1916 | #81 | 2,965 | #3,897 | 5 |
| 1915 | #75 | 2,954 | #2,829 | 8 |
| 1914 | #72 | 2,308 | #2,101 | 10 |
| 1913 | #70 | 2,071 | #1,676 | 11 |
| 1912 | #69 | 1,921 | — | |
| 1911 | #63 | 1,604 | #1,190 | 9 |
| 1910 | #62 | 1,587 | #1,193 | 8 |
| 1909 | #60 | 1,382 | #1,020 | 9 |
| 1908 | #56 | 1,428 | #1,217 | 6 |
| 1907 | #54 | 1,450 | #1,200 | 6 |
| 1906 | #54 | 1,343 | #1,004 | 7 |
| 1905 | #52 | 1,438 | #786 | 10 |
| 1904 | #48 | 1,432 | #966 | 7 |
| 1903 | #50 | 1,419 | #910 | 7 |
| 1902 | #45 | 1,525 | #933 | 7 |
| 1901 | #42 | 1,435 | #858 | 7 |
| 1900 | #42 | 1,911 | #743 | 12 |
| 1899 | #42 | 1,502 | #786 | 8 |
| 1898 | #39 | 1,715 | #663 | 11 |
| 1897 | #36 | 1,708 | — | |
| 1896 | #36 | 1,683 | #982 | 6 |
| 1895 | #35 | 1,692 | — | |
| 1894 | #31 | 1,761 | #787 | 8 |
| 1893 | #28 | 1,760 | — | |
| 1892 | #27 | 1,808 | #956 | 6 |
| 1891 | #23 | 1,685 | #766 | 7 |
| 1890 | #23 | 1,758 | — | |
| 1889 | #22 | 1,647 | — | |
| 1888 | #18 | 1,774 | #755 | 8 |
| 1887 | #16 | 1,521 | — | |
| 1886 | #19 | 1,464 | #845 | 6 |
| 1885 | #19 | 1,395 | #836 | 6 |
| 1884 | #19 | 1,374 | #848 | 6 |
| 1883 | #16 | 1,251 | #892 | 5 |
| 1882 | #15 | 1,206 | — | |
| 1881 | #13 | 1,148 | — | |
| 1880 | #13 | 1,156 | — | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Ella was already there! It came in at #13, and was given to 1,156 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1975–1989, when fewer than 190 girls a year got the name.
Where Ella is popular in 1985
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- South Carolina#437 · 1 in 2,972
- Virginia#555 · 1 in 4,707
- Louisiana#604 · 1 in 4,297
- Tennessee#604 · 1 in 5,554
- Ohio#641 · 1 in 6,909
Best ever in a state: #3 in North Dakota, 2010.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | #437 | 6 | 1 in 2,972 |
| Virginia | #555 | 7 | 1 in 4,707 |
| Louisiana | #604 | 7 | 1 in 4,297 |
| Tennessee | #604 | 5 | 1 in 5,554 |
| Ohio | #641 | 10 | 1 in 6,909 |
| North Carolina | #664 | 6 | 1 in 5,926 |
| Pennsylvania | #756 | 8 | 1 in 8,643 |
| Michigan | #942 | 5 | 1 in 11,452 |
| Illinois | #989 | 7 | 1 in 10,428 |
| Texas | #1,194 | 10 | 1 in 13,335 |
| California | #1,230 | 15 | 1 in 13,484 |
| New York | #1,505 | 6 | 1 in 17,815 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Ella
Momentum · girls
Falling
- 1 spot since 2024 (#30 → #29)
- 14 spots since 2020 (#15 → #29)
- 11 spots since 2015 (#18 → #29)
- Biggest jump: 227 spots in 1988 (#1,150 → #923)
- Biggest drop: 114 spots in 1989 (#923 → #1,037)
Rise & fade · girls
131 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 2011 at #12 (9,597 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 73 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 73 yrs · run 1880–1928
- Top 1,000: 141 yrs · run 1880–1983
Share of babies · girls
1 in 79
- Highest: 1 in 79 girls born in 1880 were named Ella (1.3%)
- Latest: 1 in 276 girls born in 2025 (0.36%)
- Its best rank, #12 in 2011, was only 1 in 183 (0.55%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 2010s
- 24.5% of all girls named Ella (85,922) were born in this decade
- Comeback: #13 (1880) → #1,150 (1987) → #12 (2011)
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 13,936 | #13 (1880) | #17 |
| 1890s | 17,072 | #23 (1890) | #32 |
| 1900s | 14,763 | #42 (1900) | #50 |
| 1910s | 24,913 | #62 (1910) | #75 |
| 1920s | 29,521 | #88 (1920) | #95 |
| 1930s | 19,962 | #107 (1930) | #121 |
| 1940s | 15,977 | #141 (1941) | #162 |
| 1950s | 11,038 | #198 (1950) | #255 |
| 1960s | 5,176 | #352 (1960) | #435 |
| 1970s | 2,096 | #564 (1970) | #743 |
| 1980s | 1,576 | #858 (1981) | #985 |
| 1990s | 3,897 | #373 (1999) | #659 |
| 2000s | 67,544 | #15 (2009) | #72 |
| 2010s | 85,922 | #12 (2011) | #15 |
| 2020s | 37,920 | #15 (2020) | #25 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Ella in 1985
girls
#1,023
147 births · 1 in 11,706 girls
Top girls' names in 1985
More about 1985
girls
1,720,828 girls got a published name in 1985; 1 in 11,706 of them was named Ella, which outranked 91.8% of the 12,505 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Ella
- #1,019Elvia148
- #1,019Joana148
- #1,019Lindy148
- #1,023Ella147
- #1,023Alexander147
- #1,023Alia147
- #1,023Cherise147
- #1,030Alysia146
- #1,030Bernice146
- #1,030Colby146
Tied with 6 names at #1,023; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 1984
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.