Ellery
3 syllables
⚧ Unisex ◎ English / Latin ◈ 3 syllables
"Cheery, Humorous"

From English / Latin

Ellery means alder tree island — from the Old English ellern (alder) and ēg (island). Ellery Queen is the most famous fictional detective after Sherlock Holmes. The name sounds like a library in an English manor: three syllables of alder trees, island isolation, and the most elegant whodunit in literary history.

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Ellery at a glance
MeaningCheery, Humorous
OriginEnglish / Latin
GenderUnisex
Syllables3
NumerologyLife Path 5
US Rank (today)#1199
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Why parents love Ellery
  • Ellery Queen is the most famous detective after Sherlock Holmes.
  • Three syllables with a literary, elegant sound: EL-er-ee.
  • The meaning alder-tree island has natural depth.
  • Ell is a distinctive embedded nickname.
  • It works for any gender.
The vibe of Ellery
Queendetectivealder-treeislandwhodunitliteraryelegantmanor-library
Origin & history of Ellery
Old English ellern (alder tree) + ēg (island) English Ellery
1
English / Latin roots
Ellery comes from the Old English meaning alder tree island. Ellery Queen is the pen name (and fictional detective) created by Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee — the most famous fictional detective after Sherlock Holmes. Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine has published since 1941.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: English surname; Ellery Queen first appeared in 1929.
3
Today
Ellery remains a beloved choice, ranking #1199 in the US. 6,808 babies have been named Ellery since 1882.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
How popular is Ellery?
2014 peak year
Ellery reached its widest reach during the 2010s. In 2014, 256 babies received the name (ranked #1019). In the present decade it sits well outside the top 1,000 (around #1199), with about 213 babies given the name annually. Ellery's usage has held roughly steady recently. The all-time total comes to roughly 6,808 registrations.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
256 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #1,019)
213 Avg. per year
(last decade)
2,130 Total registrations
last 10 years
6,808 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #1,199) Moderate
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
Numerology of Ellery
5
Life path number
The Adventurer
Freedom, adventure and curiosity.

Ellery's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — seeking solutions on the island. People named Ellery tend to be elegant, literary, and gifted at solving mysteries nobody else can.

Solves unsolvable mysteries
Elegant literary
Alder-island isolation
Queen-level deduction
Manor-library depth
E5
L3
L3
E5
R9
Y7
Sum: 32 → Life path 5
Personality of Ellery
🌍
Free spirit
Adventure calls and they always answer.
Electric energy
Things happen around them — exciting, unexpected.
🦋
Adaptable
New situations are opportunities, never threats.
💬
Natural charmer
There's something magnetic about them.
Famous people named Ellery

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Names that sound like Ellery

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Names that combine with Ellery

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Ellery.

Middle names for Ellery

The right middle name turns Ellery into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Ellery is a beautiful choice.
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