What is Ellie Short For? 99 Full Names for Ellie

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Love the nickname Ellie but not sure Ellie is short for? Then this list is for you. Here you’ll find 99 full names for Ellie with meanings.

Each formal name for the nickname Ellie also includes their meaning and origin.

Ellie is perhaps the most popular nickname for girls today. It is flowing, charming and effortless, and it works as a nickname for so many formal names. An Ellie can be short for a classic name like Elizabeth, a feminine name like Eliana or a unisex name like Elliott.

Ellie is also a very popular as a given name, ranking #30 last year in the U.S. popularity charts (source).

Still, many parents opt to give their Ellie’s a full given name so that they have more flexibility in the future. For example, having a formal name is great for when there are four Ellie’s in the same classroom.

I did a deep dive into names that get you Ellie as a nickname. I used my database of over 2000+ baby names, researched on forums and consulted baby name books to make this exhaustive list of first names for an Ellie.

Below you’ll find classic names for Ellie, and cute and unique Ellie full name ideas. I also include a section on unisex first names for Ellie since pairing a soft nickname with a gender neutral name is a very fashionable combo today.

Then you’ll find first name ideas that don’t start with El, and a section on name combinations that give the initials L.E. which would a creative way to get to the nickname Ellie.

Finally, perhaps you stumbled on this list looking for boy names that could be nicknamed Ellie. Don’t worry, I’ve got those too.

And if you like this list, don’t forget to check out my list of 27 Full Names for the Nickname Winnie.

Let’s dive in and find out what names Ellie is a nickname for!

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Top 10 full names for the nickname Ellie

So, what are the best names Ellie is a nickname for? In case you don’t have time to read the whole article, here are my top 10 first names for Ellie that you’ll find in the list below:

  1. Eloise
  2. Elizabeth
  3. Elowen
  4. Eleanora
  5. Elula
  6. Eliana
  7. Elodie
  8. Ellery
  9. Elliott
  10. Ella

Classic formal names for Ellie

First up are classic names that work as full names for the nickname Ellie. These are the names that likely first come to mind when thinking of full names for an Ellie.

1. Elaine

Elaina is a Greek-originating name meaning light.

2. Eleanor

Eleanor, a classic full name for Ellie, comes from French and Greek roots and means light.

3. Eliza

Previously a diminutive of Elizabeth, Eliza has become a popular standalone name meaning God’s oath.

4. Elizabeth

Ever popular Elizabeth is one of the most well known formal names for Ellie. It comes from Hebrew and means God’s oath.

5. Ellen

Ellen peaked in the 1940’s and has slowly been slipping in popularity since. The name comes from English and Greek meaning shining light.

6. Eloise

Eloise is a spunky name that Ellie can be short for. It means healthy and comes from French.

7. Estelle

Estelle can be a formal name for Ellie or the newly popular Esti (thanks to Chrissy Teigen). The name means star, originating as a diminutive of Estelle or Esther.

Cute names Ellie can be short for

If you love the nickname Ellie, you may also like formal names that have a similar cute style. These names below feel fluid and feminine like Ellie, and flow easily off the tongue.

8. Elaina

Elaina is a Greek-originating name meaning light.

9. Eliana and Elliana

Eliana is a lovely, flowing formal name for Ellie. It comes from Hebrew meaning God has answers and can also be spelled Elliana.

10. Elianna and Ellianna

Elliana and Ellianna have a slightly different pronunciation than Eliana. They also mean God has answers coming from Hebrew.

11. Eleana and Eleanna

Sounding similar to the name Ilana, Eleana comes from Hebrew meaning oak tree.

12. Elara and Ellara

Elara is a moon of Jupiter and a mistress of Zeus in Greek mythology.

13. Ellamae, Ella Mae and Ella-Mae

Ellamae is an adorable combination of the names Ella and Mae.

14. Elodie

Elodie is a modern answer to the name Melody. It comes from French meaning wealth. If you like Elodie, check out this list of 45 Middle Names for Elodie.

15. Elora

Elora is a Greek and Hebrew name meaning God is my light.

16. Elsie

Elsie is a diminutive that is more popular than the names it is short for, Elspeth and Elsa. Though it is already a nickname-style name, you could shorten it further to Ellie.

The name means God is my oath and comes from Scotland

17. Elsita

Elsita could be a variation on Elsa, adding the “ita” diminutive from the Spanish language. It also may have roots in German where it means “healthy.”

Unique full names for Ellie

Perhaps you’re on the hunt for unique names that Ellie could be short for.

Since Ellie is an extremely popular nickname today, opting for a unique name will give your Ellie a way to stand out in the crowd.

Each of the names below is currently outside the top 1000 most popular names in the U.S. I hope you find something new to add to your name list.

18. Elba

Elba could be a unique way to get in on the place name trend. It was the Italian island known for Napoleon’s first exile. It also is a Latin-derived name meaning white.

19. Elberta

While I don’t see Elberta destined for a revival, other surprise grandma-style names like Edith and Martha are making a comeback so anything is possible. Elberta is an English name meaning bright and noble.

20. Elby

Elby is an unusual name said to mean battle elf, coming from English.

21. Elda

Elda was most popular in 1915 when it hit #389. It left the chart in 1946 so it may soon be ready for a revival. It means wise coming from Italian

22. Elden

Will Elden see a revival because of the hit video game Elden Ring? The name is originally a boy’s name but has been out of use so long it likely doesn’t have a strong gender association, making it ripe for the picking for girl parents.

It comes from English meaning Ella’s hill.

23. Eldora

Eldora is a Spanish name meaning gold that peaked at #576 in the 1920’s and hasn’t charted since 1940.

24. Electra

If you can pull it off, Electra could be the ultimate cool full names for Ellie. It is a Greek name meaning shining.

example full names that ellie can be short for: Ellington, Eloise, Adele, Elethea, Elowen, Elaina

25. Elegance

Virtue names are on the rise and Elegance would be a unique choice to join the trend. It means stylish and graceful in English.

26. Eliel

While still primarily a boy’s name, Eliel is uncommon enough that it could easily shift to gender neutral territory. The name comes from Hebrew meaning my God.

27. Elmira

Elmira was a name in moderate use (peaking at #487) at the turn of the century. It comes from Arabic meaning noblewoman.

28. Elowen

I love the name Elowen, which works as a full name for both Ellie and Winnie. It is an off the radar alternative to popular names like Rowan and Owen.

It comes from English meaning elm tree.

29. Elula

Elula is the feminine form of a month name on the Hebrew calendar.

Short names with the nickname Ellie

Who says formal names for Ellie have to be long? These short and sweet names work as full names if you love the nickname Ellie.

These options are nice if you’d like to stay close to Ellie’s vibe while still giving your child the option of a different formal name she can pull out as needed.

30. Elena

Elena has roots in Spanish, Italian and Greek and means shining light.

31. Elia

Elia is a short and sweet formal name for Ellie that means God has answers that comes from Hebrew.

32. Elina

Elina is similar but much rarer than Elena. It means shining light and comes from Greek.

33. Elise and Elisa

Elise and its variation Elisa are both Hebrew names meaning God’s oath. Elise is something also spelled Elyse.

34. Ella and Ela

Ella is a sweet and easy full name for the nickname Ellie. The name comes from Spanish and means she.

35. Elle

Perhaps the most simple and short formal name for the nickname Ellie is Elle. Elle means she in French.

36. Elma

Elma is a lovely short and unique name for the nickname Ellie. It is a rare alternative to more popular names like Emma. It comes from German meaning helmet.

37. Elsa

Elsa saw a huge spike in popularity in the year following the release of Frozen but has quickly fallen to almost off the top 1000 names. The name means God is my oath and comes from Hebrew and German.

38. Zelie

Zelie is a new favorite of mine that I found when researching a list of girl names starting with Z. The name has it all: the cute sound of Ellie with the cool uniqueness of a Z name. The name comes from French and means noble.

Long names for Ellie

On the flip side, perhaps you’d like a long first name for your Ellie. The next set of names are all three or more syllables long names that Ellie can be short for.

Elizabeth, listed above, is the classic long name for the nickname Ellie. Most of the names below are unique, long name options that you may not have heard before.

39. Elbertina

Elbertina is a name so out of fashion that it could be in. It comes from English as a variation on the classic name Albert, meaning bright.

40. Eleanora

Eleanora is a Greek name meaning shining light. In addition to the nickname Ellie, Nora is also a great nickname option.

41. Elethea

Elethea is a Greek name meaning truth.

42. Elizabell

An uncommon alternative to Annabelle, Elizabell combines the names Elizabeth and Belle.

43. Elladine

Elladine is considered a variation of the name Eleanor.

44. Ellesandra

Ellesandra is a variation on the name Alexandra. Alexandra comes from Greek and means “to defend.”

45. Eloquence

Similar to Elegance above, Eloquence is a rare virtue name that could be a full name for the nickname Ellie. The name comes from English meaning well spoken.

46. Elshaday

Elshaday is an Amharic-originating name used as a first name in Ethiopia. It means God almighty.

Unisex first names for Ellie

I love the idea of pairing feminine and sweet Ellie with a unisex first name. The gender neutral names below all give you Ellie as a nickname option.

Gender neutral names are great because they give your child future flexibility.

The option to use the nickname Ellie was likely a big driver in shifting some of these names, like Elliott and Ellis, into gender neutral territory after a long history as a boy name.

47. Eli

Eli is a Hebrew-originating name meaning elevated. While more common among boys, it can work for both genders.

48. Elisha

Elisha is a Hebrew name meaning God is salvation

49. Ellery

Ellery is a lovely and rare unisex name that means joyful with English roots.

50. Ellerby

While it close to Ellery, Ellerby has its roots as a surname. Millennials may associate the name with the host of the show Nick News.

formal full names for ellie: elodiea, estelle, eliza, elula, giselle, elliott

51. Ellington

Ellington is a great fit for those who like surname-style names. It comes from English meaning from Elli’s town.

52. Elliott

The fact that Elliott works as a full name for Ellie is a big factor in why it became a gender neutral name. The name means the Lord is my God and comes from Hebrew.

53. Ellis

Ellis is a unisex name for the nickname Ellie that means benevolent and comes from English.

54. Ellison

Ellison is another name that likely shifted to unisex because Ellie is the obvious nickname. The name traditionally means Ellis’s son, which was originally intended as a name for sons.

Full names for Ellie that don’t start with E

Names starting with El are not the only way to get to the nickname Ellie. Here are a list of first names for Ellie that don’t start with the letter E.

Any name that includes Elle or Ella in it is has the potential to be a formal name for an Ellie.

55. Adele

Adele is a name coming from German meaning “noble.” The name peaked in the 1920’s and is relatively rare today, though it feels more common because of the wildly famous singer.

56. Brielle

Brielle is today’s answer to Brianna. The name comes from French and means hunting ground.

57. Dell

Dell is a unique and simple name that could work with the nickname Ellie. The name comes from English meaning small valley.

58. Helen

Classic Helen is often suggested as an unconventional formal name for the nickname Ellie. The name comes from Greek and means shining light.

59. Isabelle and Isabella

Isabelle and Isabella are very popular in the U.S. Both names have roots in Hebrew as variation of Elizabeth. Isabella comes Spanish and Italian and Isabelle comes from French meaning God is my oath.

60. Gabrielle

Gabrielle is a Hebrew name that means God is my strength.

61. Giselle

Giselle is a name coming from German and French meaning pledge.

62. Joelle

Joelle is a lovely French name that was the #731 most popular name in 2021. The name means God is willing.

63. Muriel

Muriel was last popular in the 1920’s so time will tell if it’ll enjoy an “old lady name” revival a la Matilda or Edith. The name comes from English meaning bright sea.

64. Michelle

The hit name of the 1960’s through 1990’s is still ranking in the top 500 baby names today. At its peak in 1972, the name was given to 29,289 babies while last year it was used 793 times.

The name means who resembles God with French and Hebrew roots.

65. Luella and Louella

Luella is an English originating name that means famous elf. Peaking in popularity in the 1880’s, a few parents are starting to use the name again, likely as they hunt for unique grandma-chic names.

66. Nellie

Nellie feels destined for a resurgence. Nickname-style names as given names have come back into fashion and adorable Nellie was last popular at the turn of the century so it sounds fresh again.

The name originated as a diminutive for Helen and Eleanor.

67. Stella

Stella is a name deriving from Latin that means star. It is another grandma-revival name that has come back into style in a big way.

68. Roselle

Roselle could be the formal name for the nicknames Ellie or Rosie. It means rose and has Latin roots.

Initials to get Ellie as a nickname

Another creative way to get Ellie as a nickname is to choose a first name that beings with L and a middle names that beginnings with E. This gives you the initials L.E. which sounds like the nickname Ellie.

Here are some L.E. initial name ideas to get you Ellie as a nickname.

  1. Laurel Evangeline
  2. Lillian Effie
  3. Lucy Eileen
  4. Louise Estelle
  5. Lena Esme
  6. Landry Eve
  7. Liana Etta
  8. Lily Emmeline
  9. Liv Everly
  10. Lia Easton
  11. Lola Evette
  12. Lake Ensley
  13. Lavender Essie
  14. Leora Eden
  15. Leigh Ezri
  16. Lanette Elle

Boy names with the nickname Ellie

Finally, Ellie could also make a very cute nickname for a little boy. I love the idea of pairing a masculine name with a softer nickname, like how Winston Churchill was affectionately called Winnie.

Here are 15 boys name that could have the nickname Ellie:

  1. Eldo
  2. Eldon
  3. Eldridge
  4. Eliam
  5. Elian
  6. Elias
  7. Elijah
  8. Elio
  9. Eliseo
  10. Ellsworth
  11. Elmer
  12. Elon
  13. Elton
  14. Elvis
  15. Elwin

Looking for more name ideas? Check out:

About the Author

Elizabeth Jon is a Ph.D. researcher whose work focuses on pregnancy and education. At Shoestring Baby, she uses her skills to research baby name trends, in-depth baby gear reviews & money savings ideas for parents.

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