Holding steady.
Popularity of Ellan since 1906
Babies named Ellan per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1957, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Ellan's real moment was 1906.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 8 |
| 1910s | 40 |
| 1920s | 65 |
| 1930s | 58 |
| 1940s | 79 |
| 1950s | 83 |
| 1960s | 33 |
| 1970s | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Ellan is a rare English name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1906, its peak year, but it never achieved widespread use and remains outside the top 1000. It is likely a variant of the more common Ellen, itself a form of Helen. With a stable trajectory and no recorded top states, Ellan has remained a quiet, underused name for over a century.
Ellan is likely a variation of Ellen, itself a form of Helen from Greek Helene, a name of disputed meaning often associated with 'torch' or 'bright'. It has been used in English-speaking countries since at least the early 20th century, though it remains uncommon.
“Ellan” around the world
Where Ellan lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ellie, Lanie
Sibling names for Ellan
Names that share Ellan's style, for a brother or sister.
