Ellyn
Ellyn was the 12278th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 1952, when it ranked 994th; the most babies were born in 1991 (102). Over the last ten years it has moved down 7,105 places. More babies were named Ellyn in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ellen) variant of Helen · English, Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #12,278 girls, down 1,761 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 7girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1991102 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,836babies recorded
What does the name Ellyn mean?
Ellyn is a spelling of Ellen, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ellen's meaning and origin.
Ellen is a medieval English form of Helen, from Greek Helenē; DMNES uses it as the headword for the name and notes that the ultimate root is uncertain, with the first record in Homer's Iliad. Wiktionary adds that Ellen was also used as a variant of Eleanor. The popular idea that Helen means 'light' or 'torch' (from Greek hēlios 'sun') is not supported. Ellen was common in the US through the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Ἑλένη (Helenē) (Ancient Greek, “Helen”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. DMNES: ultimate root uncertain.
Other explanations you may read: Helen means 'light' or 'torch'.
Related names: Helen, Eleanor, Elaine, Ella, Nell.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Ellen', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ellen', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Ellyn popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,278 | 7 |
| 2020 | #10,517 | 9 |
| 2010 | #6,457 | 20 |
| 2000 | #6,585 | 16 |
| 1990 | #1,816 | 79 |
| 1980 | #3,243 | 26 |
| 1970 | #2,664 | 27 |
| 1960 | #1,201 | 82 |
| 1950 | #1,043 | 77 |
| 1940 | #1,649 | 23 |
| 1930 | #2,342 | 14 |
| 1920 | #3,409 | 9 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Ellyn, counting every spelling?
Ellyn is a spelling of Ellen, a name family that ranked #763 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #12,278 for Ellyn on its own. Together these spellings went to 360 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen | 230 | #1,062 | 1,259 |
| Elin | 53 | #3,077 | 420 |
| Eleen | 35 | #4,098 | 198 |
| Eline | 14 | #7,593 | 97 |
| Elen | 8 | #11,208 | 54 |
| Elyn | — | — | 53 |
| Elene | 13 | #8,001 | 50 |
| Ellyn | 7 | #12,278 | 47 |
| Elynn | — | — | 34 |
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 Ellyn?
7 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ellyn (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Ellyn 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 1,224 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ellyn.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ellyn?
About 3,000 people born in the US named Ellyn are alive today, with a median age of 50; half are between 33 and 70. That makes Ellyn mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ellyn: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ellyn, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Ellyn
What does Ellyn mean?
Ellyn is a spelling of Ellen, usually explained as “variant of Helen”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Ellyn?
Ellyn was the 12278th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 1952, when it ranked 994th; the most babies were born in 1991 (102). Over the last ten years it has moved down 7,105 places. More babies were named Ellyn in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Ellyn a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Ellyn in the US.