Ellis
Boy name · #243 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Ellis? In official American birth records, Ellis has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Ellis is currently the #243 boy name in the United States — 1,417 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #422, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,270 boys born in 2025 was named Ellis.
The 145-year story
Ellis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 58 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,417 babies and a rank of #243. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Ellis per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ellis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ellis in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ellis is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ellis is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ellis is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Ellis is most common in ME (2.6 per 1,000), AR (2.1 per 1,000), LA (1.9 per 1,000), TN (1.9 per 1,000), IA (1.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ellis is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ellis
Statistically, parents drawn to Ellis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Adonis, Cyrus, Emerson, Idris, and Mathias.
AdonisCyrusEmersonIdrisMathiasRonanBowenAres
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ellis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,417 | #243 |
| 2024 | 1,250 | #273 |
| 2023 | 1,230 | #275 |
| 2022 | 1,094 | #307 |
| 2021 | 1,038 | #320 |
| 2020 | 1,010 | #326 |
| 2019 | 976 | #342 |
| 2018 | 1,063 | #318 |
| 2017 | 1,109 | #311 |
| 2016 | 999 | #347 |
| 2015 | 740 | #422 |
| 2014 | 680 | #443 |
| 2013 | 501 | #531 |
| 2012 | 403 | #611 |
| 2011 | 313 | #726 |
| 2010 | 314 | #729 |
| 2009 | 328 | #720 |
| 2008 | 276 | #795 |
| 2007 | 262 | #815 |
| 2006 | 267 | #776 |
| 2005 | 246 | #790 |
| 2004 | 212 | #838 |
| 2003 | 211 | #828 |
| 2002 | 177 | #910 |
| 2001 | 167 | #926 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ellis?
In official American birth records, the name Ellis first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 58 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ellis a popular boy name?
Ellis ranked #243 among boys in 2025 with 1,417 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #422.
When was the name Ellis most popular?
Ellis peaked in 2025, when 1,417 American boys received the name (ranked #243 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ellis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,270 newborn American boys was named Ellis. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.