Meaning & Origin
A female given name from Ancient Greek.
Ellen is a girl's and boy's baby name of Greek origin, an English form of Helen — from the Greek Helene, meaning "torch" or "corposant," possibly also related to the Greek word for "Greece." Ellen developed as a distinct name from Helen in medieval England and Scotland.
Ellen was in the U.S. top 50 girls' names from the 1880s through the 1960s. Ellen DeGeneres, whose daytime talk show ran for nearly two decades, gave the name an image of humor, warmth, and groundbreaking courage. It's understated in the best possible way — three syllables of quiet charm.