| Ellie | Hazel | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Light | The hazel tree |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | EL-ee | HAY-zul |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2024 (6,317) | 1918 (7,615) |
| In 2025 | 6,176 | 6,318 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ellie | Hazel |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 35,725 | 36,638 |
| 2010s | 43,240 | 33,919 |
| 2000s | 17,025 | 5,930 |
| 1990s | 3,559 | 1,683 |
| 1980s | 767 | 1,236 |
| 1970s | 567 | 1,489 |
| 1960s | 576 | 3,674 |
| 1950s | 542 | 9,135 |
| 1940s | 395 | 16,657 |
| 1930s | 441 | 28,567 |
| 1920s | 767 | 58,984 |
| 1910s | 781 | 57,068 |
| 1900s | 533 | 23,802 |
| 1890s | 453 | 20,154 |
| 1880s | 306 | 3,644 |
Ellie is an English short form of Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth, associated with “light.”
Hazel comes from the hazel tree and its nut, from the Old English hæsel. One of the botanical names that flourished in the Victorian era, it has enjoyed a strong revival.
Hazel is more popular than Ellie today: about 6,318 US babies were given the name Hazel in 2025, compared with 6,176 named Ellie.
Ellie means Light (English origin), while Hazel means The hazel tree (English origin).
In US records, Ellie first appears in 1880 and Hazel in 1880, so Ellie has the longer recorded history.