Elle
Say it: EL
GirlMeans a short form of Eleanor and other names beginning with El-4 letters1 syllable
#189
in Ireland (2025)
#192 with spellings combined
23
babies in 2025
#160
best rank (2005)
427
babies since 1998
Up 272
10-year rank change
Elle through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | #192 |
| 2024 | 17 | #248 |
| 2023 | 24 | #190 |
| 2022 | 21 | #214 |
| 2021 | 27 | #179 |
| 2020 | 10 | #375 |
| 2019 | 19 | #248 |
| 2018 | 20 | #235 |
| 2017 | 13 | #325 |
| 2016 | 11 | #392 |
| 2015 | 9 | #464 |
| 2014 | 10 | #430 |
| 2013 | 9 | #464 |
| 2012 | 8 | #513 |
| 2011 | 13 | #361 |
| 2010 | 12 | #396 |
| 2009 | 15 | #314 |
| 2008 | 16 | #311 |
| 2007 | 16 | #286 |
| 2006 | 17 | #247 |
| 2005 | 28 | #160 |
| 2004 | 21 | #189 |
| 2003 | 19 | #200 |
| 2002 | 20 | #189 |
| 2001 | 12 | #266 |
| 2000 | 9 | #303 |
| 1999 | 4 | #439 |
| 1998 | 4 | #426 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Elle mean?
A short form of Eleanor and other names beginning with El-
English, a short form of names such as Eleanor, now also given in its own right.
Say it right
EL
The story of Elle
Elle began as a short form of Eleanor and other names that start with El-, such as Ellen or Elizabeth. It is now often chosen as a name in its own right. It is also the French word for “she”, which gives it a light, continental feel, though the name did not come from French in any direct way.
Elle first appears in the CSO records in 1998, when 4 girls were given the name. It rose through the early 2000s and peaked in 2005, with 28 babies. It dipped in the 2010s, then came back, and in 2025 it was number 189 with 23 babies.
The name has done a little better in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 89 in 2003. Longer names built on the same sound, like Ella and Ellie, are far more common in both places.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Elle (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Elle (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Elle | 23 | 427 |
In Northern Ireland
#161 in 2025 with 11 babies. Best rank #89 (2003); 249 babies since 1998.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.