Personal favorites during teenage years.

  1. Ellie
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Eleanor and Ellen
    • Meaning:

      "bright shining one"
    • Description:

      Ellie first took off in the UK—yes, in this nickname form—and this warm and friendly name has also become hugely popular here. In 2011, Ellie entered the US Top 100 girl names for the first time and has remained near the top of the charts ever since.
  2. Ellis
    • Origin:

      English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "benevolent"
    • Description:

      Ellis, a surname used sparingly as a first in the Wallace/Morris period, sounds new now for girls, as a gender-neutral alternative to Ella or Alice. It debuted in the US Top 1000 for girls in 2015.-- Ellis has always been in the Top 1000 for boys -- and seems to be headed straight up. One of the most popular gender-neutral names, currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.
  3. Ellison
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Ellis"
    • Description:

      Updates Allison—which everyone will misunderstand it as. But it's definitely a fresh spin on the Ellie names, and a rising surname name choice for girls. It made its first appearance on the US Top 1000 in 2013.
  4. Ellison
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Ellis"
    • Description:

      Updates Ellis -- but also has a lot of feminine potential thanks to Allison/Ellie similarity.
  5. Ellisyn
    • Elodie
      • Origin:

        French, variation of Alodia, German
      • Meaning:

        "foreign riches"
      • Description:

        The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. It's a uncommon member of the trending El- family of names, which includes Ella, Eloise, and Eleanor.
    • Eloise
      • Origin:

        French and English variation of Heloise
      • Meaning:

        "healthy; wide"
      • Description:

        Well balanced between sleek, sweet, strong, and vintage, newly chic Eloise re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2009, following a 50 year absence. In 2022, it broke into the Top 100 in the US and across the pond in the UK. Given to nearly 3000 babies each year, Eloise is showing no sign of stepping out of the spotlight.
    • Elsbeth
      • Origin:

        German variation of Elizabeth
      • Meaning:

        "pledged to God"
      • Description:

        Although they could be easily confused, Elsbeth is a fairly unusual contracted German version of Elizabeth, while cousin Elspeth hails from Scotland. With its 'beth' ending, Elsbeth feels closer to the mother name.
    • Elsie
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Elizabeth via its Scottish variation, Elspeth
      • Meaning:

        "pledged to God"
      • Description:

        Elsie is a sweet vintage nickname-name turned modern star. After a 30-year hiatus, Elsie started climbing the US popularity list 20 years ago and is still headed for the top.
    • Elwyn
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "noble friend, elf friend"
      • Description:

        A charming Welsh name with a great meaning, borne by E. B. White, author of Charlotte's Web.
    • Elysia
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "from Elysium"
      • Description:

        This version stands out from the pack of Alyssas, Elissas et al, as Elysia relates to Elysian Fields, the mythological home of the blessed.
    • Emery
      • Origin:

        English from German
      • Meaning:

        "industrious"
      • Description:

        Emery is one of the newly popular Em- names that has great potential, though right now for girls more than boys: it received a boost in 2009, a year after Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn used it for one of their daughters.
    • Emilyn
      • Emmeline
        • Origin:

          Old French form of archaic German Amal
        • Meaning:

          "work"
        • Description:

          Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!
      • Emrys
        • Origin:

          Welsh, variation of Ambrose
        • Meaning:

          "immortal"
        • Description:

          If you're looking for a Welsh name less common than Dylan, Griffin, Evan, or Morgan, you might want to consider this offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin.

          Root name Ambrose is an ancient saints' name derived from the Greek ambrosia, the food and drink of the gods that conferred immortality.
      • Erwin
        • Origin:

          German
        • Meaning:

          "respected friend"
        • Description:

          One of the many names with a strong "er" sound, like Bertram and Ernest, that was huge in the 1920s and is languishing in style limbo now. One famous bearer is the physicist Erwin Schrödinger, as in Schrödinger's cat.
      • Esther
        • Origin:

          Persian
        • Meaning:

          "star"
        • Description:

          Esther was derived from the Old Persian word stāra, meaning "star." In the Old Testament, Esther, originally named Hadassah, was the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her exiled people from annihilation. This story is celebrated by Jews on the holiday of Purim, so that it has traditionally been given to girls around that time.
      • Everard
        • Origin:

          English spelling variation of Eberhard
        • Meaning:

          "hardy"
        • Description:

          An older form of Everett that stays closer to its Germanic roots. Distinguished Everard is the name of several historical figures and literary characters, including a minor hobbit in The Lord of the Rings. Yet, even now that Ever- names are the height of style, Everard hasn't been seen on the charts for decades.
      • Everly
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "wild boar in woodland clearing"
        • Description:

          Sweet and stylish, with a sporty, energetic undertone, Everly is a name that ticks lots of boxes.
      • Evreux