NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ellenor

A feminine name of English origin meaning "bright, shining one".

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.

Ellenor is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ellenor popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3598, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 25 births.

This profile covers 290 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 288 living people in the UK are called Ellenor. 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

  • Ellenor ranked #3598 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1999, when 25 girls were registered as Ellenor.
  • About 288 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ellenor as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3598

2023

Births in 2023

6

Latest year

Peak year

1999

25 births

Estimated living

288

2026

Meaning

What does Ellenor mean?

The name Ellenor has its origins in ancient Greek, derived from the name Helenē. The name Helenē is believed to have come from the Greek word 'helene,' meaning torch or bright light. It is also thought to be linked to the Greek word 'selene,' meaning moon. The earliest known use of the name Helenē dates back to the 8th century BC in Greek mythology.

In Greek mythology, Helenē was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and her abduction by Paris, a Trojan prince, was the catalyst for the Trojan War. The Iliad, an ancient Greek epic poem, mentions Helenē as the beautiful woman whose face "launched a thousand ships." Her story has been retold countless times throughout history in literature, art, and popular culture.

The name Ellenor is an anglicized variation of the Greek name Helenē. The earliest recorded use of the name Ellenor can be traced back to the 12th century in England. One of the earliest known individuals with the name Ellenor was Ellenor of Provence, born in 1223, who was the wife of King Henry III of England.

Another notable historical figure with the name Ellenor was Ellenor Musker, an English Quaker and writer born in 1659. She wrote several religious works, including "A Christian's Defence Against the Fear of Death" and "A Testament of the Inner Life."

In the 18th century, Ellenor Fenn was a notable English writer and educator. She was born in 1744 and wrote several popular children's books, including "The Fair Circassian" and "The Juvenile Tatler."

Ellenor Rurić Beauchamp, born in 1806, was a British traveler and writer. She documented her travels through Europe and the Middle East in her book "Travels in Syria and the Holy Land."

Ellenor Christine Townsend, born in 1833, was an American writer and poet. She wrote several collections of poetry, including "The Nautilus" and "Lyrical Poems."

Throughout history, the name Ellenor has been used across various cultures and languages, with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. While its popularity has fluctuated over time, the name continues to hold a connection to its ancient Greek roots and the iconic figure of Helenē from Greek mythology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ellenor over time

The chart below shows babies named Ellenor registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Ellenor, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2023, compared with 25 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ellenor
06131925199620092023

Decades

Ellenor by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ellenor 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 #3598 6 1
2010s #4160 59 10
2000s #1772 142 10
1990s #1014 83 4

Notable bearers

Famous people named Ellenor

  • Ellenor Fenn

    writer; children's writer

    British writer

    1744-1813

Related

Names similar to Ellenor

FAQ

Ellenor: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Ellenor was ranked #3598 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Ellenor most popular?

The peak year on record was 1999, with 25 babies registered as Ellenor in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ellenor?

A feminine name of English origin meaning "bright, shining one".

How many people are called Ellenor in the UK?

A total of 290 babies have been registered as Ellenor across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.