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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ellie

Ellie

♂ Boy

Pronounced EL-ee /ˈɛl.i/High

Meaning: Ellie is a friendly short form of Eleanor, Ella, Elizabeth and similar names, carrying their bright, warm sound. It is overwhelmingly a girl's name; used here for a boy, we note the strong lean.Medium

In 30 seconds: A warm nickname-name: Ellie is short for Eleanor or Ella (said 'EL-ee'). Overwhelmingly a girl's name — we note the lean.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningEllie is a friendly short form of Eleanor, Ella, Elizabeth and similar names, carrying their bright, warm sound. It is overwhelmingly a girl's name; used here for a boy, we note the strong lean.
U.S. rank (2024)#12805 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1915
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,180

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192218832024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ellie is a short form of Eleanor, Ella and Elizabeth, warm and bright in sound and popular as a standalone name. It is overwhelmingly a girl's name; as a boy's name it is highly unusual, which we note (said 'EL-ee').

For boys it is exceedingly rare, against near-universal girls' use. Sweet, classic, and girl-leaning.

Did you know? Ellie began as a pet form of Eleanor, Ella and Elizabeth and grew into a beloved name of its own. It is overwhelmingly a girl's name; used here for a boy, we note the strong lean (said 'EL-ee').
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Ellie — short for Eleanor/Ella/Elizabeth; overwhelmingly a girl's name

Variations

EllyElleeElie

Nicknames

ElElz

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ellie…

Eli— a like short Eli- name that reads boy
Eddie— a fellow warm -ie nickname-name
Elian— a soft El- cousin for boys
Eliseo— a like El- boy's pick

Explore names like Ellie

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ellie mean?

Ellie is a short form of Eleanor, Ella and Elizabeth, carrying their bright, warm sound.

How do you pronounce Ellie?

It's said EL-ee /ˈɛl.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Ellie a boy or girl name?

Here Ellie is used as a boy's name, though it is overwhelmingly a girl's name — we note the lean.

How popular is Ellie?

Ellie is a very popular girls' name and exceedingly rare for boys in the U.S.

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