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.
Old English ellern (alder tree) + ēg (island)→English Ellery
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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.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: English surname; Ellery Queen first appeared in 1929.
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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
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How popular is Ellery?
2014peak 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 registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
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.
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