Elly

♀ Girl

Pronounced EHL-ee /ˈɛl.i/Medium

Meaning: Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen, or Elizabeth. Eleanor/Ellen (from Helen) carry the sense 'light, bright, torch'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Elly is an English girl's name, a friendly short form of Eleanor, Ellen, or Elizabeth.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Dutch, German

MeaningDiminutive of Eleanor, Ellen, or Elizabeth. Eleanor/Ellen (from Helen) carry the sense 'light, bright, torch'.

U.S. rank (2025)#1613 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births129 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2010

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,585

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Elly works as a diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen, or Elizabeth. Through Eleanor and Ellen, which descend from Helen, it carries the sense of 'light, bright, torch'. As a pet form it has long stood on its own as a given name.

The name has an easy, two-syllable warmth, and it travels among nickname cousins like Bess, Bessie, Beth, Betsy, and Bette that come from the same set of full names. Elly Akira is among those recorded under the name.

Did you know? The meaning attached to Elly is 'light, bright', inherited from Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth, and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Elly — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

BessBessieBethBetsyBette

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Elly Akira (1986–present)
Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
★Elly (1991–present)
Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Elly…

Ellen— One of the full names Elly shortens, sharing its 'bright' sense.

Eleanor— A source name for Elly carrying the 'light, torch' meaning.

Betsy— Another Elizabeth pet form grouped with Elly.

Sally— shares Elly's English roots

Wrenly— shares Elly's English roots

Explore names like Elly

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Elly mean?

Elly means 'light, bright'. It is a diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen or Elizabeth, most often linked with the English tradition.

How do you pronounce Elly?

It's commonly said EHL-ee /ˈɛl.i/.

Is Elly a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Elly is used as a girl name.

How popular is Elly?

In 2024, Elly ranked #1727 in the U.S. for girls, with 117 births recorded.