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At a Glance: Name: Ellison – Meaning: commonly explained as 'son of Ellis' (a medieval form of Elias/Elijah), i.e. a patronymic surname turned given name – Origin: English (surname, patronymic) – Gender: used for both boys and girls
Ellison is an English surname that started out as a patronymic, meaning 'son of Ellis' — with Ellis being a medieval short form of Elias or Elijah. That makes it part of a common naming pattern where an old family surname eventually gets used as a first name. If you like names with that inherited, surname-turned-given-name background, Ellison is a straightforward example.
Meaning & Origin of Ellison
Meaning: Commonly explained as 'son of ellis' (a medieval form of elias/elijah), i.e. a patronymic surname turned given name.
Origin: English (surname, patronymic).
Source: Wiktionary.
Popularity of Ellison
Social Security records on Ellison stretch back to 1881, and its best-ever rank was #748 in 1883, when 7 babies were given the name. In 2024 it ranked #1067 with 232 babies named Ellison — a far higher count than in 1883, even though the rank itself is lower today.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1881–2024.
Make Ellison Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Ellison, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Ellison mean?
Commonly explained as ‘son of ellis’ (a medieval form of elias/elijah), i.e. a patronymic surname turned given name. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ellison)
Is Ellison a popular name right now?
Ellison peaked at #748 in 1883 and is ranked #1067 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1881–2024.)
📊 How popular is Ellison? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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