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At a Glance
- Meaning
- A place name meaning roughly 'settlement of a man called Ella' or 'eel enclosure', from Old English tūn ('settlement, enclosure')
- Origin
- Old English (surname/place name)
- Gender
- Used for both boys and girls
- Pronunciation
- EL-ing-tun
Ellington traces back to Old English as a place name, generally read as either 'settlement of a man called Ella' or 'eel enclosure,' built from the Old English word tun, meaning settlement or enclosure. You may see it explained as 'Ellis' town,' but that's not accurate — the name comes from the personal name Ella or the word for eel, not from Ellis. If you're drawn to names with Old English roots tied to place and land, Ellington fits that mold.
Meaning & Origin of Ellington
Meaning: A place name meaning roughly 'settlement of a man called Ella' or 'eel enclosure', from Old English tūn ('settlement, enclosure').
Origin: Old English (surname/place name).
A common claim: Ellis' town Actually: Ellington doesn't come from 'Ellis' — it traces to Old English Ella (a personal name) or ǣl ('eel') plus tūn ('settlement').
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Ellington
EL-ing-tunIPA /ˈɛlɪŋtən/
Popularity of Ellington
SSA records for Ellington run from 1921 to 2024, and the name's high point came in 2015, when it ranked #2218 with 85 babies given the name. By 2024 it had slipped to #3518, with just 44 recorded.
Names Like Ellington
These names have followed a similar path to Ellington in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Ellington mean?
A place name meaning roughly ‘settlement of a man called Ella’ or ‘eel enclosure’, from Old English tūn (‘settlement, enclosure’). (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Ellington?
Ellington is pronounced EL-ing-tun (IPA: /ˈɛlɪŋtən/).
Is Ellington a popular name right now?
Ellington peaked at #2218 in 2015 and is ranked #3518 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1921–2024.)
Make Ellington Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Ellington, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
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