Ellen is a distinctive choice, ranked #736 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Ellen in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#736
US Rank #920
About the Name Ellen
Ellen has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 242 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #63 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has broken into the UK top 100 on 7 occasions, signalling genuine mainstream interest.
Ellen is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it sits at #920 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Ellen
Unlikely. With around 51 UK babies named Ellen per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Ellen in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Ellen has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 242 places in the last five years. Its peak was #63 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.
Ellen is more popular in the UK (#736) than in the US (#920). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Ellen include: Ellen Ochoa — Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer, former astronaut and former director of the Johnson Space Center.; Ellen Whitaker — Ellen Whitaker is an English show jumping rider, currently ranked 191 on the FEI riders Longines Ranking list in July 2022.; Ellen Geer — Ellen Geer is an American actress, professor, and theatre director..
Ellen does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Ellens in the wild.
51
UK babies named Ellen (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 242 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Ellen
Likely around 1 other Ellen in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2021)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Ellen
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer, former astronaut and former director of the Johnson Space Center. In 1993, Ochoa became the first Latina to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Ellen Louise Axson Wilson was First Lady of the United States from 1913 until her death in 1914, as the first wife of President Woodrow Wilson. Like her husband, she was a Southerner, as well as the daughter of a clergyman.
Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth is an oil painting by John Singer Sargent, now in Tate Britain, in London. Painted in 1889, it depicts actress Ellen Terry in a famous performance as Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, wearing a green dress decorated with iridescent beetle wings.
Ellen Burstyn is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards Burstyn is one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting".
Ellen Dissanayake (born Ellen Franzen), an American anthropologist and writer focusing on art and culture. She lives in Seattle, Washington, and is affiliated with the University of Washington.