| Ella | |
|---|---|
Ella Fitzgerald is one well-known Ella. |
|
| Pronunciation | English pronunciation: /ˈɛlə/ el-ə |
| Gender | Female |
| Origin | |
| Word/Name | English, German. |
| Meaning | all, completely, other, fairy maiden, goddess, foreign, Pistachio Tree |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Eleanor, Elizabeth, Elle, Ellen, Ellie, Alla, Ellika |
Ella is a feminine given name with multiple origins. One source gives its meaning as "all, completely," from German.[1] Another source indicates the name is a Norman version of the Germanic short name Alia, which was short for a variety of German names with the element ali-, meaning "other."[2] It is also a common short name for names starting with El-, such as Eleanor, Elizabeth, or Ellen. The word אלה (Ella) in Hebrew means goddess, but due to religious restrictions cannot be used as a name for a good Jew in this meaning. However, this word also means pistachio tree, and indeed, is used as a feminine name among secular Israelis. In Greek mythology, Ella (Greek: Ἕλλα) was the daughter of Athamas and Nephele.[3] The name cognates with Hellas (Greek: Ἑλλάς), the Greek name for Greece, which said to have been originally the name of the region round Dodona.[4]
Ella became used again during the Victorian era in English-speaking countries and has been revived in the last decade, becoming a popular given name for baby girls born in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and other English-speaking countries.[5] One well-known bearer of the name was singer Ella Fitzgerald. Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia, a Russian grand duchess and saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, was commonly known as Ella.