Ely

Boy · EE-lee · Hebrew

Ely is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “ascended, uplifted”. In 2025 it ranked 5,065th for boys in the UK (3 babies) and 2,641st for boys in the US (49 babies).

What does Ely mean?

Hebrew: variant of Eli; also the English city of Ely

“ascended, uplifted”

Ely is also an English cathedral city, whose name comes from Old English for 'eel district'.

Say it: EE-lee

Is Ely a girl's or a boy's name?

Ely is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 3 boys in the UK and 16 girls and 49 boys in the US.

How popular is Ely in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #5,065among boys
Babies in 2025: 3about 1 in 100,000 boys
Five-year trend: Steadydown 18% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 3 boys in the UK were named Ely, making it the 5,065th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,359th. Its busiest year was 2010, with 13 boys.

Half of all the boys named Ely in the UK since 1996 were born between 2007 and 2018. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

In 2025, 427 boys in the UK were given Ely or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #153, up from #5,065 for this spelling alone.

Eli 421
Ely 3
Eligh 3

Among boys in 2025, it was 4,974th in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 13 in 20102025

Ely in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	3	#5,065
2024	8	#2,750
2023	3	#5,193
2022	9	#2,457
2021	4	#4,188
2020	9	#2,359
2019	4	#4,126
2018	4	#4,169
2017	10	#2,306
2016	8	#2,690
2015	6	#3,149
2014	6	#3,125
2013	3	#4,884
2012	11	#2,080
2011	8	#2,503
2010	13	#1,805
2009	6	#2,970
2008	5	#3,305
2007	7	#2,554
2006	4	#3,522
2005	7	#2,292
2004	5	#2,691
2003	0	–
2002	0	–
2001	7	#1,833
2000	0	–
1999	3	#3,043
1998	4	#2,531
1997	3	#2,979
1996	4	#2,442

How popular is Ely in the US?

Rank in 2025: #2,641among boys
Babies in 2025: 49about 1 in 35,000 boys
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 30% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 49 boys in the US were named Ely, making it the 2,641st most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,616th. Its busiest year was 2009, with 159 boys. 16 girls were also named Ely in 2025 (6,837th for girls).

2025 had more boys named Ely than any year since 2019.

Half of all the boys named Ely in the US since 1880 were born between 1982 and 2011, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 3,505 boys in the US were given Ely or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #112, up from #2,641 for this spelling alone.

Eli 3,418
Ely 49
Elie 32
Eligh 6

Girls were 14% of the babies named Ely in the US in 1918, and 25% in 2025.

1880Busiest: 159 in 20092025

Ely in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	49	#2,641
2024	40	#3,044
2023	46	#2,768
2022	39	#3,098
2021	48	#2,651
2020	48	#2,616
2019	71	#2,041
2018	75	#1,958
2017	73	#1,958
2016	105	#1,563
2015	109	#1,514
2014	104	#1,536
2013	123	#1,370
2012	132	#1,304
2011	150	#1,178
2010	137	#1,267
2009	159	#1,148
2008	153	#1,169
2007	146	#1,206
2006	142	#1,185
2005	152	#1,080
2004	143	#1,100
2003	94	#1,408
2002	88	#1,444
2001	85	#1,448
2000	92	#1,367
1999	62	#1,689
1998	50	#1,928
1997	58	#1,690
1996	43	#2,013
1995	43	#1,950
1994	33	#2,342
1993	49	#1,736
1992	47	#1,773
1991	57	#1,522
1990	42	#1,835
1989	42	#1,788
1988	33	#1,944
1987	29	#2,053
1986	34	#1,789
1985	33	#1,793
1984	36	#1,629
1983	38	#1,561
1982	33	#1,733
1981	39	#1,547
1980	35	#1,655
1979	28	#1,903
1978	34	#1,616
1977	26	#1,904
1976	29	#1,747
1975	21	#2,133
1974	22	#1,983
1973	17	#2,309
1972	12	#2,817
1971	19	#2,125
1970	16	#2,292
1969	12	#2,548
1968	11	#2,575
1967	9	#2,759
1966	7	#3,247
1965	6	#3,535
1964	0	–
1963	10	#2,672
1962	8	#3,039
1961	11	#2,536
1960	0	–
1959	8	#3,036
1958	10	#2,640
1957	8	#3,022
1956	10	#2,626
1955	6	#3,503
1954	8	#2,940
1953	6	#3,423
1952	7	#3,092
1951	13	#2,134
1950	8	#2,769
1949	9	#2,605
1948	10	#2,442
1947	12	#2,250
1946	6	#3,171
1945	8	#2,573
1944	11	#2,194
1943	6	#3,229
1942	9	#2,522
1941	5	#3,504
1940	8	#2,671
1939	15	#1,795
1938	6	#3,174
1937	7	#2,905
1936	0	–
1935	7	#2,951
1934	16	#1,783
1933	15	#1,829
1932	8	#2,849
1931	11	#2,327
1930	5	#3,999
1929	12	#2,316
1928	13	#2,270
1927	16	#2,034
1926	11	#2,565
1925	16	#2,011
1924	22	#1,675
1923	15	#2,122
1922	19	#1,827
1921	21	#1,703
1920	25	#1,505
1919	20	#1,694
1918	32	#1,231
1917	24	#1,437
1916	21	#1,548
1915	25	#1,342
1914	19	#1,388
1913	17	#1,256
1912	13	#1,352
1911	6	#1,536
1910	10	#1,044
1909	0	–
1908	5	#1,372
1907	0	–
1906	6	#1,110
1905	0	–
1904	5	#1,204
1903	5	#1,129
1902	0	–
1901	6	#942
1900	7	#1,049
1899	6	#927
1898	8	#803
1897	5	#1,056
1896	9	#778
1895	10	#685
1894	0	–
1893	0	–
1892	0	–
1891	0	–
1890	5	#994
1889	0	–
1888	6	#917
1887	6	#819
1886	5	#959
1885	0	–
1884	0	–
1883	0	–
1882	12	#540
1881	8	#653
1880	5	#909

Names like Ely

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Elijah Noah Isaac Elias Jacob Caleb Levi Ezra Zachary Jonah Henry Ethan

Other spellings of Ely

Eli Eligh Elie

Names related to Ely

Elya Eloy Elly Elaya Eliya Eily Eleya

More Hebrew names

Isabella James Jack Mia Ava Jude Benjamin Daniel Samuel Mateo Elsie Eliana Joseph Adam Michael David