Ellen
Girl name · #1062 in 2025 · Uniqueness 72/100
In 2025, 230 baby girls were named Ellen, placing it at #1062 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #701, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,826 girls born in 2025 was named Ellen.
The 145-year story
Ellen first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 411 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1951, when 5,945 girls were named Ellen — good for #68 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ellen per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ellen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ellen in class?
Ellen scores 72 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Ellen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ellen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ellen is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Ellens were CA (22), TX (17), NC (13), FL (12), PA (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ellen
Statistically, parents drawn to Ellen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eileen, Kathleen, Karen, Carolyn, and Sally.
EileenKathleenKarenCarolynSallyJanieSusanNancy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ellen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 230 | #1062 |
| 2024 | 246 | #1025 |
| 2023 | 239 | #1051 |
| 2022 | 255 | #1018 |
| 2021 | 289 | #920 |
| 2020 | 336 | #808 |
| 2019 | 347 | #797 |
| 2018 | 356 | #765 |
| 2017 | 385 | #735 |
| 2016 | 450 | #651 |
| 2015 | 406 | #701 |
| 2014 | 435 | #657 |
| 2013 | 403 | #700 |
| 2012 | 374 | #742 |
| 2011 | 401 | #696 |
| 2010 | 430 | #674 |
| 2009 | 416 | #698 |
| 2008 | 459 | #669 |
| 2007 | 514 | #583 |
| 2006 | 545 | #544 |
| 2005 | 517 | #555 |
| 2004 | 595 | #495 |
| 2003 | 668 | #449 |
| 2002 | 590 | #476 |
| 2001 | 609 | #455 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ellen a popular girl name?
Ellen ranked #1062 among girls in 2025 with 230 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #701.
When was the name Ellen most popular?
Ellen peaked in 1951, when 5,945 American girls received the name (ranked #68 that year). Since 1951 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ellen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,826 newborn American girls was named Ellen. It scores 72/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.