NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Elly

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

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Elly is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Elly popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 59 births.

This profile covers 620 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 17% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 665 living people in the UK are called Elly. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Elly ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 59 girls were registered as Elly.
  • Elly ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #760 in 2022.
  • About 665 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elly as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2574

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2002

59 births

Estimated living

665

2026

Meaning

What does Elly mean?

The name Elly is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, meaning "My God is Yahweh." This name has its roots in the ancient Near East and can be traced back to biblical times. It is believed to have originated around the 8th century BC.

The name Eliyahu, from which Elly is derived, appears several times in the Hebrew Bible, most notably as the name of the prophet Elijah. This significant figure played a crucial role in the religious history of ancient Israel and is revered in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The earliest recorded examples of the name Elly can be found in medieval European records, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands. It was often used as a diminutive or nickname for names like Eleanor or Elizabeth.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Elly. One of the earliest was Elly Bacheracht (1570-1639), a German Baroque composer and organist who served as the court Kapellmeister in Darmstadt.

Another prominent figure was Elly Ameling (1933-2021), a renowned Dutch soprano who was particularly celebrated for her interpretations of lieder and oratorio works. She performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States during her illustrious career.

Elly Ney (1882-1968) was a Dutch pianist and composer who gained recognition for her compositions and performances in the early 20th century. She was also a dedicated teacher and influenced many aspiring musicians.

In the field of literature, Elly van Nahuys (1890-1957) was a Dutch writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and novels, some of which explored themes of feminism and social issues.

Elly Griffiths (born 1963) is a contemporary British crime novelist best known for her Ruth Galloway mystery series, which has garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated readership.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Elly, a name with rich cultural and linguistic origins that have endured across centuries and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Elly over time

The chart below shows babies named Elly registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Elly, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 59 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Elly
015304459199620102024

Decades

Elly by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elly 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 #3154 47 5
2010s #2197 131 10
2000s #978 321 10
1990s #780 121 4

Geography

Where Elly is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Elly. 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.

Elly ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #760 in 2022.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Elly in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#760 in 2022

15 years of NRS records, 49 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Elly

  • Elly Fairman

    actor; film producer

    British actress

    1977-

  • Elly Barnes

    LGBTQ rights activist

    Founder and Chief Executive of the charity Educate & Celebrate

    1971-

  • Elly Griffiths

    writer; novelist

    British novelist

    1963-

  • Elly Niland

    writer; poet

    Guyanese writer

    1954-

  • Elly Day

    cook; nun

    nun and cook (born 1830s-1917)

    1830-1917

  • Elly Baker

    politician

    British politician

Related

Names similar to Elly

FAQ

Elly: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Elly was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Elly most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 59 babies registered as Elly in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Elly?

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

How many people are called Elly in the UK?

A total of 620 babies have been registered as Elly across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 49 more in Scotland.

Where is Elly most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Elly ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #760 in 2022. 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.