NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ellah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the highest" or "the loftiest".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Ellah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ellah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 12 births.

This profile covers 111 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1999 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 113 living people in the UK are called Ellah. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Ellah ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 12 girls were registered as Ellah.
  • Ellah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #808 in 2017.
  • About 113 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ellah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5687

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

2008

12 births

Estimated living

113

2026

Meaning

What does Ellah mean?

The name Ellah is believed to have its origins in ancient Hebrew culture, with roots dating back to biblical times. It is thought to be a variation of the Hebrew name Ella, which means "oak tree" or "consecrated to God." The double "l" spelling is likely a later adaptation or regional variation.

One theory suggests that Ellah may have been derived from the Hebrew word "elah," which translates to "god" or "deity." In this context, the name could have been used to honor a divine entity or convey a sense of reverence. However, the exact etymology remains a topic of debate among scholars.

While there are no definitive historical references to the name Ellah in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that early variations of the name were in use among certain Hebrew communities during biblical times. The earliest recorded instances of the name are relatively scarce, with limited documentation from the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.

One notable figure associated with the name Ellah is Saint Ellah, a 7th-century Christian martyr who was allegedly executed for her faith during the reign of the Sassanid king Khosrau II. Her story is recounted in various hagiographies and martyrologies, although the historical details surrounding her life and death remain uncertain.

Another historical figure named Ellah was Ellah the Captive, a 12th-century English noblewoman who was captured during the Third Crusade and held as a prisoner in the Muslim-controlled city of Damascus. Her story is chronicled in the writings of various medieval chroniclers and served as inspiration for literary works and ballads.

In the 15th century, Ellah of Anjou was a French noblewoman and courtier who served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie of Anjou, consort of King Charles VII of France. She is mentioned in various court records and chronicles from that era.

During the Renaissance period, Ellah Gonzaga was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her support of artists and writers in the city of Mantua. She was a prominent figure in the cultural and intellectual circles of her time.

In the 18th century, Ellah Fitzwilliam was a British philanthropist and social reformer who worked tirelessly to improve the living conditions of the poor and establish educational opportunities for underprivileged children. Her efforts were documented in contemporary accounts and biographies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ellah over time

The chart below shows babies named Ellah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Ellah, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 12 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ellah
036912199920112023

Decades

Ellah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ellah was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4764 12 3
2010s #4551 46 10
2000s #3236 50 8
1990s #3900 3 1

Geography

Where Ellah is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ellah. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Ellah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #808 in 2017.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Ellah in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#808 in 2017

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Ellah

FAQ

Ellah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Ellah in the UK right now?

In 2023, Ellah was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Ellah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 12 babies registered as Ellah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ellah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the highest" or "the loftiest".

How many people are called Ellah in the UK?

A total of 111 babies have been registered as Ellah across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Ellah most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ellah ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #808 in 2017. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.