Fun Facts About the Name Ellison
- More than 8 thousand babies named Ellison: U.S. records list 8,656 babies given the name Ellison from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 2,963 boys received the name Ellison - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Ellison Mean?
Ellison is an English name meaning "son of Ellis." The ending -son marks it as a patronymic, or father-name. The personal name Ellis was a medieval English form of Elias, the Greek form of the Hebrew prophet name Elijah (Eliyahu). Elijah is usually explained as "Yahweh is God" or "my God is Yahweh." So the literal sense of Ellison is "son of Ellis," and its ultimate root is the Hebrew name of the prophet Elijah. The similar-looking Allison is generally a separate name, usually derived from Alice, and does not share this etymology.
Ellison Name History & Origins
Surnames formed with -son became common in England during the Middle Ages, when they identified a person as the son of a particular father. Ellis was a common personal name in medieval England, in part because of the biblical prophet Elijah, whose name appears as Elias in the Greek New Testament and in Latin Christian tradition. From Ellis came the patronymic Ellison. The surname is especially associated with northern England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire, and it later appears in Scotland, Ireland, and English-speaking countries overseas.
As a given name, Ellison is a transferred use of the surname, a pattern common in English-speaking countries. It is used for both boys and girls. The surname is familiar from the American writer Ralph Ellison, author of Invisible Man (1952); that is a modern literary association, not the source of the name.
How Popular is the Name Ellison?
Ellison recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2021. Its best rank was #748 in 1883.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,067 | 228 | 0.0142% |
| 2024 | #1,067 | 232 | 0.0144% |
| 2023 | #1,081 | 229 | 0.0143% |
| 2022 | #1,063 | 239 | 0.0146% |
| 2021 | #838 | 329 | 0.0201% |
| 2020 | #906 | 290 | 0.0180% |
| 2019 | #838 | 323 | 0.0193% |
| 2018 | #974 | 271 | 0.0159% |
| 2017 | #973 | 270 | 0.0156% |
| 2016 | #921 | 298 | 0.0168% |
| 2015 | #946 | 287 | 0.0161% |
| 2014 | #893 | 304 | 0.0170% |
| 2013 | #951 | 266 | 0.0152% |
| 2012 | #1,060 | 237 | 0.0135% |
| 2011 | #1,050 | 235 | 0.0134% |
| 2010 | #1,230 | 196 | 0.0110% |
| 2009 | #1,550 | 146 | 0.0079% |
| 2008 | #1,386 | 172 | 0.0091% |
| 2007 | #1,530 | 150 | 0.0078% |
| 2006 | #1,428 | 158 | 0.0083% |
| 2005 | #1,693 | 117 | 0.0063% |
| 2004 | #1,949 | 96 | 0.0052% |
| 2003 | #2,108 | 83 | 0.0045% |
| 2002 | #2,360 | 68 | 0.0038% |
| 2001 | #2,608 | 58 | 0.0032% |
| 2000 | #2,717 | 54 | 0.0030% |
| 1999 | #3,459 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1998 | #3,133 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1997 | #3,568 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1996 | #4,642 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1995 | #4,894 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #5,309 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #7,159 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #6,408 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #8,808 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #10,544 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,633 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #7,893 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #11,851 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #6,742 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #11,154 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #8,421 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #8,294 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #10,968 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #7,609 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #8,289 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #7,857 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #7,065 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #9,720 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #6,684 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #7,548 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #6,801 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #8,352 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #6,855 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #5,460 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #6,528 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1914 | #3,309 | 6 | 0.0008% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,679 | 98 | 0.0057% |
| 2024 | #2,058 | 73 | 0.0043% |
| 2023 | #1,931 | 81 | 0.0047% |
| 2022 | #1,831 | 88 | 0.0050% |
| 2021 | #1,713 | 95 | 0.0054% |
| 2020 | #1,779 | 85 | 0.0049% |
| 2019 | #1,871 | 80 | 0.0045% |
| 2018 | #1,628 | 100 | 0.0055% |
| 2017 | #1,597 | 101 | 0.0055% |
| 2016 | #1,666 | 95 | 0.0050% |
| 2015 | #1,695 | 92 | 0.0048% |
| 2014 | #1,984 | 72 | 0.0037% |
| 2013 | #1,785 | 81 | 0.0043% |
| 2012 | #2,787 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 2011 | #3,455 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2010 | #3,559 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2009 | #3,503 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2008 | #3,672 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #4,409 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2006 | #3,332 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 2005 | #4,240 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2004 | #4,049 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2003 | #4,328 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #3,591 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2001 | #4,014 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #4,858 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #4,602 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1998 | #3,422 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1997 | #6,245 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #4,068 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #5,245 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #3,505 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #4,300 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #3,803 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #3,505 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #2,572 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1989 | #3,677 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #2,785 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #2,496 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #1,975 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1985 | #4,434 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #3,526 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #5,086 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #4,026 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #3,930 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #3,312 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #6,344 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #2,829 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1977 | #3,264 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #3,556 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #2,799 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1974 | #3,942 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #3,527 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #2,598 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1970 | #2,427 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #2,927 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #1,913 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1967 | #2,653 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #2,522 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #1,735 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1964 | #2,000 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1963 | #3,132 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #2,137 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #2,592 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1960 | #2,582 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #2,140 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1958 | #2,553 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1957 | #2,119 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #2,115 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1955 | #3,286 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #1,914 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1953 | #1,648 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1952 | #2,287 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1951 | #1,855 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1950 | #1,760 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1949 | #1,777 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1948 | #1,838 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1947 | #1,459 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1946 | #1,780 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #1,719 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1944 | #2,016 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1943 | #1,545 | 21 | 0.0015% |
| 1942 | #1,552 | 21 | 0.0015% |
| 1941 | #1,710 | 17 | 0.0014% |
| 1940 | #1,488 | 21 | 0.0018% |
| 1939 | #1,590 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1938 | #2,229 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1937 | #1,291 | 27 | 0.0025% |
| 1936 | #1,664 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1935 | #1,726 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1934 | #1,523 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1933 | #1,934 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1932 | #1,867 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1931 | #2,528 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1930 | #2,838 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1929 | #1,749 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1928 | #2,431 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1927 | #1,824 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1926 | #1,928 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1925 | #1,647 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1924 | #1,639 | 23 | 0.0020% |
| 1923 | #1,772 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1922 | #1,711 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1921 | #1,338 | 31 | 0.0028% |
| 1920 | #1,283 | 32 | 0.0030% |
| 1919 | #1,588 | 22 | 0.0022% |
| 1918 | #1,506 | 24 | 0.0024% |
| 1917 | #2,209 | 13 | 0.0014% |
| 1916 | #1,389 | 25 | 0.0028% |
| 1915 | #1,472 | 22 | 0.0026% |
| 1914 | #1,278 | 22 | 0.0034% |
| 1913 | #1,465 | 14 | 0.0027% |
| 1912 | #1,655 | 10 | 0.0023% |
| 1911 | #1,593 | 6 | 0.0027% |
| 1910 | #1,236 | 8 | 0.0041% |
| 1909 | #968 | 10 | 0.0061% |
| 1907 | #831 | 11 | 0.0075% |
| 1906 | #1,295 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1905 | #944 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1901 | #1,100 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1888 | #846 | 7 | 0.0058% |
| 1883 | #748 | 7 | 0.0067% |
| 1881 | #907 | 5 | 0.0050% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ellison Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Ellison's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ellison's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.