Ela
Ela was the 1562nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 135 babies. Its best year was 1903, when it ranked 942nd; the most babies were born in 2018 (150). Over the last ten years it has moved up 438 places. More babies were named Ela in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ella) Meaning disputed · English, Germanic
- Rank in 2025
- #1,562 girls, up 144 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 135girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2018150 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,846babies recorded
What does the name Ela mean?
Ela is a spelling of Ella, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ella's meaning and origin.
Ella has two documented sources. Wiktionary treats it mainly as a 19th-century short form of Eleanor or Ellen, later also used for any name ending in -ella. DMNES records a medieval Ella with roots either in a Germanic element meaning 'all' or in Latin alia, 'other'. The modern name mostly reflects the short-form use.
*allaz (Proto-Germanic, “all, whole (DMNES option)”)
How sure is this? Disputed. The medieval name and the modern pet form may be different names with the same spelling.
See also: English names.
Ela popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,562 | 135 |
| 2020 | #1,706 | 119 |
| 2010 | #1,764 | 117 |
| 2000 | #7,278 | 14 |
| 1990 | #9,515 | 8 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | #6,630 | 5 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | #2,738 | 11 |
| 1920 | #2,628 | 13 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | #1,617 | 7 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Ela, counting every spelling?
Ela is a spelling of Ella, a name family that ranked #36 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,562 for Ela on its own. Together these spellings went to 6,028 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ella | 5,831 | #29 | 30,548 |
| Ela | 135 | #1,562 | 580 |
| Ellah | 29 | #4,687 | 167 |
| Elah | 33 | #4,286 | 102 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ela?
135 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ela (0.04 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Ela born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 62 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ela.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ela?
About 2,500 people born in the US named Ela are alive today, with a median age of 11; half are between 6 and 17. That makes Ela a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ela by state
How common Ela was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (2.8×), New York (2.3×), New Jersey (2.2×). In 40 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ela: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ela, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Ela
What does Ela mean?
The meaning of Ella is disputed: the medieval name and the modern pet form may be different names with the same spelling.
How popular is the name Ela?
Ela was the 1562nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 135 babies. Its best year was 1903, when it ranked 942nd; the most babies were born in 2018 (150). Over the last ten years it has moved up 438 places. More babies were named Ela in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Ela a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Ela in the US.
Where is Ela most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ela was most common in Florida (0.20 per 1,000 girls), followed by New York and New Jersey.