Ellie

Ellie DeYoung's senior photo at Alpine Valley Ski Area (2023). Photo by Kathy Lukes at doubleexposurephotos

Namely Origins

by Ellie DeYoung

In the fifth grade, a teacher asked me if my name was short for anything. I shook my head. Usually, you would not see Ellie as a name by itself, as it is most commonly used as a nickname for those such as “Eleanor, Ella, and Elizabeth” (Dresler). I do not know why I was given the name, but what I do know is that my father picked it out over my mother’s suggestion, Lydia. I like Ellie because it is not hard to spell, say, or remember. Surprisingly enough, my family has found a way to shorten it even more, sometimes calling me Elle instead. Although, that’s more of a nickname within my family, and my friends just call me Ellie. I would not choose another name over the one I have now, as I have grown to love it.

The roots of the name Ellie stem from the Greek names Helen or Ellen, meaning "light," the German name Alice, meaning “noble,” and the Hebrew name Elizabeth meaning, “God is my oath” (Lawler). I don’t associate myself with any of these in particular, but I like the positive connotations. Before researching, I didn’t know that my name had any meaning whatsoever. I assumed it had American origins and was, quite frankly, just a name.

According to the Social Security Database of Popular Baby Names, the popularity of the name Ellie over the past 120 years has shown decreasing and increasing trends. Between the years of 1900 and 1930, there was a general decrease in popularity, going from the rank of 420th in 1900 to 998th in 1930. From 1930 to 2023, there was a general increase in popularity, starting at 998th in 1930 and ending at 27th in 2023. In 2006, the year I was born, Ellie was ranked 175th with 1,995 babies sharing the same name. However, in Michigan, it is not in the top 100 most popular names (Social Security Administration). I find it surprising how unpopular the name was in the 1930s which makes me wonder if there was any dislike toward it. I enjoy that my name was not very common for my birth year as it adds to the uniqueness.

I had always thought that my name was perfect for a young girl, but that I would grow out of it by the time I became a teenager. As a child, I would imagine what I would look like as an eighty-year-old woman with a young name such as mine. I did not think it was mature enough to match a wise old lady. Although, as I have grown older, I realize that my name matches my personality: short and sweet.

Works Cited

Lawler, Emma. “Ellie.” Edited by Emily Bagg, The Bump, 24 Jan. 2025, www.thebump.com/b/ellie-baby-name.

Dresler, Madison. “Ellie - Baby Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity.” Nameberry, 1 Feb. 2025, nameberry.com/b/girl-baby-name-ellie.

“Social Security Administration.” Popular Baby Names, www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Lukes, Kathy. Selfie of Ellie DeYoung. 18 Dec. 2023. Author's personal collection.

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