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ETYMOLOGY:
The name Ella has a different meaning in quite a few different languages listed below:
- English: a variation of Eleanor and Ellen meaning "beautiful fairy"
- French: "Medieval given all"
- Greek: "light", "torch", or "bright light"
- Old English: "elfin", "a fairy maiden"
- Old German: "other foreign"
- Spanish: "she"

ORIGIN & HISTORY:
Ella originated as a short form of any of various names containing the Germanic element "ali", which means "foreign" or "other"

POPULARITY:
The Social Security Administration only has records of names dating back as far as 1880, where the name Ella was at its recorded high at number 13. It also remained at number thirteen the following year. It gradually decreased in popularity, being knocked out of the top 100 for the first time in recorded history of popular names in 1928 at number 101. The decline of the name continued and finally went out of the top 1,000 girls' names in 1984, where it stayed out for three years, came back in for one year in 1988 at number 945 and went back out only for one more year. Since then, the name has regained it's popularity and was ranked number 21 in 2006.

FASCINATING FACTS:
Ella, pronounced "EL-ah" is the name of a famous politician in Connecticut's history. Ella T. Grasso (born Ella Giovanna Olivia Tambussi) was the first female governor of the state of Connecticut. She held many offices prior to being elected governor. Grasso held offices in the state legislature, Secretary of State, and in the United States Congress. In the 28 years that she was a public official, she never lost an election. Due to her accomplishments, she earned some namesakes in the state of Connecticut such as: Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical School in Groton, CT; Ella T. Grasso Boulevard in New Aven, CT; and Ella Grasso Turnpike in Windsor Locks, CT.

NAMESAKES:
- Fictional Characters:
- Ella Rayburn from the television series "Dragnet"
- Ella from the movie "Ella Enchanted"
- Ella from the movie "Rollerball"
- Ella Pinkwater in the comic book "Marvel Comics Presents" published by Marvel Comics
- Ella Cinders in the comic book "Sparkle Comics" published by United Features

- Books:
-"Ella Enchanted" written by Gail Carson Levine"
- "Just Ellen" written by Margaret Peterson, which retells the story of "Cinderella", but with a feminist twist to it.

- Ella Comics is a British comic publishing company

- Geographic namesakes:
- Ella Point, a cape in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska
- Ella Dam in Delta County, Colorado
- Ella Fohs Camp Pond Dam in Litchfield County, Connecticut
- Ella Grande Ranch Lake Dam in Hood County, Texas
- Ella Reservoir Dam in Albany County, Wyoming

FAMOUS PERSONS:
Famous People:
- Ella Bloor, published author
- Ella Bobrow, wiiter
- Ella Cummins, published author
- Ella Delona, published author
- Ella D'Arcy, writer
- Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer
- Ella Gahnt, Jazz artist
- Ella Gardener, writer
- Ella T. Grasso, politician
- Ella Guru, painter
- Ella Hooper, musician
- Ella Kessel, 1965 Miss West Virginia
- Ella Pell, romantic American painter
- Ella Pratt, author
- Ella Raines, actress
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox, American poet

Famous people's children:
Some celebrities such as: Anne Depetetrini, Annette Benning, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Eric Clapton, Gary Sinise, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Mark Wahlberg, Marlon Richards, Rebecca Hernst, Sophie Raworth, and Warren Beatty all have children named Ella.

NAME VARIANTS: Elle, Ellee, Ellesse, Ellia; Nicknames: Elli, Ellie, Elly

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