Ellison
Boy name · #1677 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 98 baby boys were named Ellison, placing it at #1677 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1691, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,367 boys born in 2025 was named Ellison.
Babies named Ellison per year. Source: SSA.
The 144-year story
Ellison first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 101 boys were named Ellison — good for #1594 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ellison against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ellison in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ellison is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ellison will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ellison is most common
State-level data for Ellison is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Ellison
Statistically, parents drawn to Ellison tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eason, Edison, Everson, Pierson, and Jenson.
EasonEdisonEversonPiersonJensonMaisonThompsonEdson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ellison | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 98 | #1677 |
| 2024 | 73 | #2057 |
| 2023 | 81 | #1928 |
| 2022 | 88 | #1826 |
| 2021 | 95 | #1710 |
| 2020 | 85 | #1778 |
| 2019 | 80 | #1868 |
| 2018 | 100 | #1625 |
| 2017 | 101 | #1594 |
| 2016 | 95 | #1663 |
| 2015 | 92 | #1691 |
| 2014 | 72 | #1979 |
| 2013 | 81 | #1782 |
| 2012 | 43 | #2772 |
| 2011 | 31 | #3434 |
| 2010 | 30 | #3531 |
| 2009 | 31 | #3476 |
| 2008 | 29 | #3646 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4375 |
| 2006 | 32 | #3306 |
| 2005 | 21 | #4198 |
| 2004 | 22 | #4005 |
| 2003 | 19 | #4276 |
| 2002 | 24 | #3554 |
| 2001 | 20 | #3974 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ellison a popular boy name?
Ellison ranked #1677 among boys in 2025 with 98 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1691.
When was the name Ellison most popular?
Ellison peaked in 2017, when 101 American boys received the name (ranked #1594 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ellison?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,367 newborn American boys was named Ellison. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.