Given name & surname
Ellison
“the son of Elias”
Ellison is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the son of Elias.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the son of Elias.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English usage, Ellison as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ellis.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ellison through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,658
- 2,963 boys · 5,695 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 424 babies
- 2025
- 326
- #1,067 for girls · #1,679 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −11%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 25% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 228 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,067 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 13.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 98 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Tennessee had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (24). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,704 as a first name in 2020; 40,780 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.
Ellison’s family of names
In English usage, Ellison as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ellis. Ellison has a related form in Elison. Ellison has a related form in Ellyce.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Ellysonvariant · English
- Elisonvariant
- Ellycevariant
- Ealisonvariant
- Eallisonvariant
- Elysunvariant
- Ellysunvariant
- Elisunvariant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ellison
- Ellison OnizukaAmerican astronaut from Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, first Asian American to reach space, later died in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident1946–1986
- Ellison D. SmithAmerican politician (1864–1944)
- Ellison CapersConfederate Army general (1837–1908)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ellison, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Leighton
“from the town near the meadow”
26% boys · 74% girls
Lennon
“daughter of love” · “son of love”
26% boys · 74% girls
Elisa
“my God is bountiful” · “God is my oath”
>99% girls
Elsi
Elsi is a feminine given name, possibly from English. It is used in Finnish.
>99% girls
Eila
“a birdlike woman”
>99% girls
Aspen
“from the aspen tree”
13% boys · 87% girls
Eden
“place of pleasure”
21% boys · 79% girls
Ivory
Ivory is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “having a creamy-white complexion; as precious as elephant tusks.”
6% boys · 94% girls