Ely
How to say it: EE-lee · /ˈili/
From Hebrew Eli meaning 'ascension' and English place-name 'eel island' - also nickname for Elias/Elena.
Ely was the 111th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 65 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, its births are down about 53% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #176 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #111 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 65 |
| Share of births | 1 in 956 |
| Peak decade | 2000s |
| Change over 10 years | −53% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #176 |
| In France, 2025 | #240 among boys’ names, 90 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Ely peaked in the 2000s.
What goes with it
Honouring a Ely in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ely is about 1 in 40.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Hebrew.
In France: #240 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Ely
- Ely Ould Mohamed Vall (1953–2017)Mauritanian President
- Ely Galleani (born 1953)Italian actress, active years 1970 to 1978
- Ely do Amparo (1921–1991)Brazilian footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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