Ely

Boy name

Ely has been given to 5,087 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 2009.

Meaning & origin /iːli/

Inherited from Middle English Ely, from Old English Ēlīġ, of uncertain origin.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

5,087

Peak year

2009 (175 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▼ -52%

Gender split

12% girls / 88% boys

Spellings & variants

Names one letter away from Ely — alternate spellings parents actually use.

Eliboy

154,512 babies since 1880

Eloyboy

8,325 babies since 1908

Ellygirl

4,595 babies since 1921

Elagirl

2,846 babies since 1887

Alyunisex

2,197 babies since 1951

Elsygirl

1,832 babies since 1969

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Ely.

Aadenboy

5,079 babies since 2001

Jerimiahboy

5,078 babies since 1917

Aidynboy

5,063 babies since 1997

Mikahunisex

5,061 babies since 1972

Yairboy

5,042 babies since 1976

Kiranunisex

5,041 babies since 1966

Braulioboy

5,135 babies since 1915

Bentleeboy

5,139 babies since 2001

FAQ

How popular is the name Ely?

Ely has been given to 5,087 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.

When did the name Ely peak?

Ely peaked in 2009, when 175 babies were given the name.

Is Ely a girl or boy name?

Ely is primarily a boy name (88% of babies named Ely are boys).

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