Girl Greek / Old English 2 syllables

Ellie

EL-ee /ˈɛliː/

"Bright and shining" — a name of sunny warmth and irresistible charm

Ellie is a bright, warm diminutive of names like Eleanor, Ellen, Elizabeth, and Eliana — all sharing roots that relate to light or God. As a standalone name, Ellie has a quality that's simultaneously friendly and substantial, youthful and timeless. It's one of those names that sounds like a smile. Pixar's Up gave us Ellie Fredricksen, one of animation's most beloved characters, whose few minutes onscreen moved audiences to tears and gave the name even deeper emotional resonance.

Quick Facts

Letters5
SyllablesEl-lie
GenderGirl
OriginGreek / Old English
Root WordElene / Elen
MeaningBright, shining; torch of light
PopularityPopular
Peak Year2018
Trend ↑ Rising
Name DayMay 18
Nicknames ElEls

About the Name Ellie

Ellie means 'bright' or 'shining', from its roots in Eleanor (Old French/Greek) and Ellen (Greek — torch of light).
Both — Ellie is traditionally a nickname for Eleanor, Ellen, or Elizabeth, but has become fully established as a standalone given name.
Ellie Fredricksen from Pixar's Up and singer Ellie Goulding are among the most beloved.
Ellie Rose, Ellie Grace, Ellie Mae, and Ellie Claire are all charming, harmonious combinations.
Ellie has been in the UK top-5 and US top-45 girl names throughout the 2010s and 2020s.

Personality of Ellie

Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Ellie

creativity 85%
elegance 82%
independence 80%
intelligence 82%
strength 75%
warmth 95%

Famous People Named Ellie

E
Ellie Fredricksen
The beloved character from Pixar's Up whose memory drives the entire film
E
Ellie Goulding
British singer-songwriter with multiple chart-topping hits
E
Ellie Kemper
American actress known for The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Middle Names for Ellie

Beautiful combinations that flow well with Ellie

Ellie Rose Ellie Grace Ellie Mae Ellie Claire Ellie Joy Ellie Anne Ellie Faith Ellie Pearl Ellie Belle Ellie Kate

Names Similar to Ellie

Similar Sound

Similar Meaning

Sibling Name Ideas

History of Ellie

Medieval era
Ellie used as a pet form of Eleanor and Ellen in English and Scottish families
Victorian era
Ellie popular as a warm, informal diminutive in British households
2009
Pixar's Up features Ellie Fredricksen in an opening sequence that moved audiences worldwide
2010s
Ellie used increasingly as a standalone name rather than a nickname
2018
Ellie enters the US and UK top-10, its highest-ever standalone rankings

Numerology & Symbolism of Ellie

7
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
1
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
Zodiac Affinity
Leo
5
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Sunny Yellow
💎
Lucky Stone
Citrine
🌸
Lucky Flower
Sunflower

Ellie Around the World

How Ellie is written in different languages and scripts

إيلي
Arabic
エリー
Japanese
Элли
Russian
엘리
Korean
埃利
Chinese
Έλλη
Greek
एली
Hindi
אלי
Hebrew