Origin, Meaning, And History Of Ella

The name Ella is of Germanic origin and means ‘Beautiful Light’, ‘all’, or ‘other.’ In modern Hebrew, the word ‘Ella’ signifies ‘goddess’ or ‘a tree in the pistachio family.’ Ella can be seen as feminine because, in Spanish, it is equivalent to ‘she’ or ‘her.’ In Gothic, the name Ella translates to ‘truly lively,’ whereas, in French, it means ‘little cinders.’ Ella is believed to have sprung from the Greek name Elfin, which means ‘a beautiful fairy woman’. In Greek Mythology, Ella was the child of Athamas and Nephele. The name may also relate to Hellas, the area surrounding Dodona. It is a short form or pet version of several names that start with El, such as Eleanor or Ellen. Additionally, it may be a short form of a name with the suffix “-ella,” such as Isabella or Gabriella. The Ella popularity index steadily ascended the rankings after 1992, according to Social Security Administration data, and during the following ten years, it reached the top 100. The baby name Ella rose from its lowest position of 264 in 2000 to the top 50 in 2003 and the top 20 in 2008. In the US, Ella achieved its highest popularity in 2011 and 2012, ranking as the 12th most popular girl’s name, and in 2020, it peaked at number 15. This short and pleasant name is universally recognizable, and is popular in nations, including Germany, Belgium, the UK, Australia, and Switzerland. The popularity of the name is also attributed to singer Ella Fitzgerald and the film Ella Enchanted. Disney’s Cinderella is among the well-known fictional characters with the name Ella. Ella the Elephant is a children’s cartoon. Despite being short, Ella is a name that is perfect for numerous cute nicknames like Elly, El, Ella Bella, Elsa, and Elsie.

How To Pronounce Ella?

Ella On The Popularity Chart

Below are the findings of the Social Security Administration ( the agency which compiles a list based on the most famous names parents opted to give their children, born the previous year, since 1997) for the baby name Ella.

Popularity Over Time

After 1992, there was a steady rise in the popularity of Ella, and saw its peak in 2010 with more than 9500 people giving this name to their children. Here is the graphic representation of its popularity over the years.

Rank Over Time

In 2000, the name Ella was ranked 264, and it rose to the top 20 by 2008. Ella’s popularity peaked between 2011 and 2012 when it was ranked as the 12th most popular girl’s name.

Names With Similar Sound As Ella

Take a look at these intriguing names that sound like Ella but have different meanings.

Name Numerology For Ella