Ellington
Ellington is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Ellington
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ellington is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Ellington
As a girl name
Ellington first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2001, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2015: 85 births, good for #2,208 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 53% of all recorded Ellingtons. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,226 among girl names with 49 births, falling sharply (-19%). In total, more than 1K Ellingtons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Ellington on the record books as a boy name in 1921, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 46 Ellingtons were born — ranking #2,661 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 39% of all recorded Ellingtons. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,588 among boy names with 22 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 720 Ellingtons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ellington
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ellington is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Allington
- Wellington
- Elkington
- Arrington
- Killington
- Billington
- Millington
- Willington
- Errington
- Shillington
- Edgington
- Ellingsen
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ellington
What does the name Ellington mean?
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How popular is Ellington in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Ellington most popular?
Is Ellington a unisex name?
What names go well with Ellington?
About the name Ellington
Ellington is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Ellington's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #2,208. Use the chart and map above to compare Ellington's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.