Ellington
Boy name · #4164 in 2025 · Uniqueness 85/100
In 2025, 25 baby boys were named Ellington, placing it at #4164 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3882, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 boys born in 2025 was named Ellington.
Babies named Ellington per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 104-year story
Ellington first appears in the Social Security records in 1921, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 46 boys were named Ellington — good for #2661 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ellington against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ellington in class?
Ellington scores 85 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 Ellington will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ellington is most common
State-level data for Ellington is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Ellington
Statistically, parents drawn to Ellington tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Patton, Dexton, Jaxston, Stockton, and Wynston.
PattonDextonJaxstonStocktonWynstonHoltonHestonKolston
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ellington | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #4139 |
| 2024 | 19 | #5067 |
| 2023 | 33 | #3474 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2021 | 37 | #3180 |
| 2020 | 30 | #3570 |
| 2019 | 29 | #3716 |
| 2018 | 33 | #3373 |
| 2017 | 45 | #2715 |
| 2016 | 46 | #2661 |
| 2015 | 27 | #3882 |
| 2014 | 28 | #3693 |
| 2013 | 20 | #4621 |
| 2012 | 19 | #4862 |
| 2011 | 17 | #5200 |
| 2010 | 20 | #4678 |
| 2009 | 14 | #6095 |
| 2008 | 13 | #6393 |
| 2007 | 14 | #5901 |
| 2006 | 11 | #6904 |
| 2005 | 13 | #5875 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8143 |
| 2003 | 9 | #7245 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 12 | #5667 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ellington a popular boy name?
Ellington ranked #4164 among boys in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3882.
When was the name Ellington most popular?
Ellington peaked in 2016, when 46 American boys received the name (ranked #2661 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ellington?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American boys was named Ellington. It scores 85/100 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.