What does Brooke mean?
An English nature/surname name from Old English broc 'brook, small stream'.
What does Ellie mean?
Ellie is an English short form of Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth, associated with “light.”
Brooke vs Ellie
Which is more popular?
Ellie is more popular than Brooke today: about 6,176 US babies were given the name Ellie in 2025, compared with 972 named Brooke.
| Brooke | Ellie | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Small stream | Light |
| Origin | english | English |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | BRUK | EL-ee |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1934 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1996 (6,724) | 2024 (6,317) |
| In 2025 | 972 | 6,176 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Brooke
Ellie
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Brooke | Ellie |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,633 | 35,725 |
| 2010s | 23,808 | 43,240 |
| 2000s | 54,686 | 17,025 |
| 1990s | 60,630 | 3,559 |
| 1980s | 34,977 | 767 |
| 1970s | 14,512 | 567 |
| 1960s | 2,058 | 576 |
| 1950s | 750 | 542 |
| 1940s | 408 | 395 |
| 1930s | 29 | 441 |
| 1920s | 0 | 767 |
| 1910s | 0 | 781 |
| 1900s | 0 | 533 |
| 1890s | 0 | 453 |
| 1880s | 0 | 306 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Brooke or Ellie more popular?
Ellie is more popular than Brooke today: about 6,176 US babies were given the name Ellie in 2025, compared with 972 named Brooke.
What is the difference between Brooke and Ellie?
Brooke means Small stream (english origin), while Ellie means Light (English origin).
Which name is older, Brooke or Ellie?
In US records, Brooke first appears in 1934 and Ellie in 1880, so Ellie has the longer recorded history.