Fun Facts About the Name Ely
- More than 5 thousand babies named Ely: U.S. records list 5,087 babies given the name Ely from 1880 through 2025. Even 616 girls received the name Ely - about 1 girl for every 7 boys.
What Does the Name Ely Mean?
Ely is an English given name with two separate origins. The first is the English place name Ely in Cambridgeshire, recorded in Old English as Ēlīg and generally explained as ēl "eel" plus īeg "island," meaning "eel island" - the settlement stood on raised ground among fen waters where eels were caught. A less common reading takes the second element as gē "district," giving "eel district."
The second source is the Hebrew biblical name Eli (עֵלִי), borne by the priest and judge who raised the boy Samuel. Its meaning is traditionally given as "ascended" or "high," from a root meaning to go up. A similar-sounding Hebrew name, אֵלִי, means "my God," and the two are sometimes confused. Ely is one of the English spellings used for the biblical name.
Ely Name History & Origins
Ely first named a place in eastern England, in what is now Cambridgeshire, where a monastery was founded in the seventh century by Æthelthryth and where the cathedral of Ely later rose. The Old English form Ēlīg described that fenland settlement. The place name produced the English surname Ely, and the surname, along with the place name itself, fed into the given name in modern use.
Separately, Ely serves as a spelling of the Hebrew name Eli, the priest in the books of Samuel. Hebrew biblical names were taken up more widely as personal names in English-speaking countries after the Reformation, and Eli was among them, appearing in the spellings Eli and Ely. Ely is also sometimes a short form of longer names beginning with El-, such as Elijah, Elias, or Elliot.
Several American towns carry the name, including Ely in Nevada and Ely in Minnesota, and the spelling is also found as a surname in the United States and Britain.
How Popular is the Name Ely?
Ely recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2009. Its best rank was #551 in 1882.
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 | #6,925 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #4,677 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 2023 | #4,782 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2022 | #4,617 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 2021 | #5,450 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #7,013 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #4,948 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2018 | #5,053 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2017 | #4,846 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2016 | #7,712 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #5,173 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2014 | #5,357 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2013 | #6,547 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2012 | #5,762 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2011 | #6,938 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #6,246 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2009 | #7,787 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2008 | #7,513 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #7,174 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2006 | #6,946 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #8,484 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #6,879 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2003 | #12,821 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #7,166 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #7,437 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #11,044 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #7,364 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #7,696 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #12,575 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #12,240 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #10,915 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #12,248 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #12,227 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #9,593 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #7,468 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #10,010 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #11,471 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #9,328 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #10,067 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1918 | #5,050 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,653 | 49 | 0.0029% |
| 2024 | #3,054 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 2023 | #2,775 | 46 | 0.0027% |
| 2022 | #3,113 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2021 | #2,663 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 2020 | #2,631 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 2019 | #2,050 | 71 | 0.0040% |
| 2018 | #1,963 | 75 | 0.0041% |
| 2017 | #1,961 | 73 | 0.0039% |
| 2016 | #1,565 | 105 | 0.0055% |
| 2015 | #1,516 | 109 | 0.0057% |
| 2014 | #1,540 | 104 | 0.0054% |
| 2013 | #1,372 | 123 | 0.0065% |
| 2012 | #1,305 | 132 | 0.0070% |
| 2011 | #1,181 | 150 | 0.0079% |
| 2010 | #1,271 | 137 | 0.0071% |
| 2009 | #1,149 | 159 | 0.0080% |
| 2008 | #1,171 | 153 | 0.0075% |
| 2007 | #1,208 | 146 | 0.0070% |
| 2006 | #1,188 | 142 | 0.0069% |
| 2005 | #1,085 | 152 | 0.0076% |
| 2004 | #1,105 | 143 | 0.0072% |
| 2003 | #1,412 | 94 | 0.0048% |
| 2002 | #1,450 | 88 | 0.0045% |
| 2001 | #1,454 | 85 | 0.0044% |
| 2000 | #1,373 | 92 | 0.0047% |
| 1999 | #1,699 | 62 | 0.0032% |
| 1998 | #1,940 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 1997 | #1,698 | 58 | 0.0031% |
| 1996 | #2,027 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1995 | #1,961 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1994 | #2,362 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1993 | #1,749 | 49 | 0.0025% |
| 1992 | #1,786 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 1991 | #1,530 | 57 | 0.0028% |
| 1990 | #1,849 | 42 | 0.0020% |
| 1989 | #1,809 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 1988 | #1,959 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1987 | #2,077 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1986 | #1,805 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1985 | #1,808 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1984 | #1,639 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1983 | #1,570 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1982 | #1,743 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1981 | #1,557 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1980 | #1,665 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1979 | #1,917 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1978 | #1,625 | 34 | 0.0021% |
| 1977 | #1,919 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 1976 | #1,759 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 1975 | #2,150 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1974 | #2,009 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1973 | #2,342 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1972 | #2,876 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #2,156 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1970 | #2,326 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1969 | #2,584 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1968 | #2,618 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #2,834 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #3,324 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #3,651 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #2,731 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #3,129 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #2,593 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #3,105 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #2,695 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1957 | #3,090 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #2,684 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #3,625 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #3,022 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #3,539 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1952 | #3,182 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #2,165 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #2,847 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #2,668 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #2,499 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1947 | #2,281 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1946 | #3,283 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1945 | #2,622 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #2,232 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1943 | #3,333 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #2,577 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #3,657 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1940 | #2,729 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #1,821 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1938 | #3,281 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,000 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #3,048 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #1,801 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1933 | #1,855 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1932 | #2,928 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1931 | #2,370 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #4,167 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1929 | #2,362 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1928 | #2,301 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1927 | #2,067 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1926 | #2,620 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1925 | #2,033 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1924 | #1,693 | 22 | 0.0019% |
| 1923 | #2,153 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1922 | #1,842 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1921 | #1,728 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1920 | #1,519 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1919 | #1,715 | 20 | 0.0020% |
| 1918 | #1,239 | 32 | 0.0032% |
| 1917 | #1,453 | 24 | 0.0026% |
| 1916 | #1,563 | 21 | 0.0024% |
| 1915 | #1,351 | 25 | 0.0029% |
| 1914 | #1,406 | 19 | 0.0029% |
| 1913 | #1,275 | 17 | 0.0033% |
| 1912 | #1,377 | 13 | 0.0030% |
| 1911 | #1,596 | 6 | 0.0027% |
| 1910 | #1,065 | 10 | 0.0051% |
| 1908 | #1,444 | 5 | 0.0032% |
| 1906 | #1,161 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1904 | #1,262 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1903 | #1,175 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1901 | #983 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1900 | #1,079 | 7 | 0.0047% |
| 1899 | #965 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1898 | #829 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1897 | #1,110 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1896 | #789 | 9 | 0.0075% |
| 1895 | #707 | 10 | 0.0085% |
| 1890 | #1,051 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1888 | #958 | 6 | 0.0050% |
| 1887 | #850 | 6 | 0.0059% |
| 1886 | #1,012 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1882 | #551 | 12 | 0.0106% |
| 1881 | #668 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1880 | #953 | 5 | 0.0045% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Ely
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with E
Short Boy Names That Start with E
How the Name Ely 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 find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Ely's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ely's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.