Given name & surname · also Germanic
Ella
“from a foreign land”
Ella is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “from a foreign land.”
Original GermanElle
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “from a foreign land.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
How it developed
In English usage, Ella is a diminutive of Ellen. Ella is an affectionate form of Ellen.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Ella is a diminutive of Eleanor. The history of Eleanor gives this family its wider story. Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married Henry II, brought the name from southwestern France to England in the twelfth century. Eleanor of Provence married Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile married Edward I. This succession of royal bearers gives the name a concrete English history independent of the debate over its meaning.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Ella through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 352,214
- 901 boys · 351,313 girls
- Most popular year
- 2010
- 9,898 babies
- 2025
- 5,831
- #29 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −23%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5,831 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 29 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 23.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 9,884 in 2010. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (561). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 185,535 as a first name in 2020; 415 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ella’s family of names
In English usage, Ella is a diminutive of Ellen. In German usage, Ella has a conventional equivalent in Elvira. Ella is an affectionate form of Ellen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ella has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
12 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 21
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Elvirasee also · übersetzungen umleiten
- Eleonoraübersetzungen umleiten
- Nellaequivalent
- Heleneübersetzungen umleiten
- Aellaequivalent
- Eleonoreübersetzungen umleiten
- Rellarelated form
- Ellikaequivalent
Show 3 moreShow fewer
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Ella
- Ella FitzgeraldAmerican jazz singer (1917–1996)
- Ella PurnellBritish actress (born 1996)
- Ella BakerAfrican-American civil rights and human rights activist (1903–1986)
- Ella BalinskaEnglish actressborn 1996
- Ella HendersonBritish singerborn 1996
- Ella Wheeler WilcoxAmerican author and poet (1850–1919)
- Ella TooneEnglish association football playerborn 1999
- Ella RainesAmerican actress (1920-1988)
- Ella RubinAmerican actress (born 2001)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ella, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Isabella
“my God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Emma
Emma began as a short form of longer Germanic names and has a meaning associated with wholeness.
>99% girls
Gulielma
“determined protector”
>99% girls
Kendall
“from the royal valley”
15% boys · 85% girls
Gundry
“battle” · “king, ruler”
—
Sabarís
“Suebi” · “king”
—
Willa
“will” · “desire”
>99% girls
Emelyn
Emelyn is a variant of Emma. Emma’s shared Germanic element carries the sense “entire” or “whole.”
>99% girls