Ely
- US rank
- #2,641
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #540 in 1882
49 babies were named Ely in the US in 2025. It has dropped 24 places in five years.
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Ely you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 34,843 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ely, 49 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ely would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryEly has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Elys, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1882, when it ranked #540. Today it's #2,641, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendEly has slipped 24 places over the last five years and now sits at #2,641. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Boy or girlEly is given to both boys and girls: 75% of the 65 babies named Ely in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
About the name Ely
Ely is a boy name of English and Hebrew origin. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with E and ending in “-ely”. US birth records list Ely for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 131 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked #540 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #2,641, with 49 babies.
Origin:English namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 38 | 26,028 boys |
| 1890s | 37 | 26,918 boys |
| 1900s | 26 | 38,270 boys |
| 1910s | 30 | 33,167 boys |
| 1920s | 15 | 64,725 boys |
| 1930s | 8.6 | 116,550 boys |
| 1940s | 5.7 | 176,056 boys |
| 1950s | 4.2 | 240,385 boys |
| 1960s | 3.9 | 254,453 boys |
| 1970s | 14 | 73,368 boys |
| 1980s | 19 | 52,411 boys |
| 1990s | 25 | 40,193 boys |
| 2000s | 63 | 15,972 boys |
| 2010s | 57 | 17,495 boys |
| 2020s | 26 | 38,388 boys |
Other spellings of Ely
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Ely
What is the origin of the name Ely?
Ely has English, Hebrew roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Ely a boy or girl name?
Ely is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Ely?
Ely ranked #2,641 for US boys in 2025, given to 49 babies. Its best year was 1882 (#540).