What Does the Name Ellery Mean?
Ellery is a unisex name of English (from Latin via medieval Hilary) origin meaning “cheerful.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Ellery |
|---|---|
| Gender | unisex |
| Origin | English (from Latin via medieval Hilary) |
| Meaning | cheerful |
| Variants | Ellary, Ellory, Elery, Hillary |
| Popularity | An uncommon but rising unisex name in the United States, used for both girls and boys with a recent lean toward girls. |
The meaning and origin of Ellery
The name Ellery means “cheerful” and has English (from Latin via medieval Hilary) origins. A surname-derived given name from the medieval personal name Hilary (Latin 'Hilarius,' meaning 'cheerful'); an alternative root is Old English 'alor' meaning 'alder tree.' It is well known from the fictional detective Ellery Queen.
Variants and related names
Ellery is related to several other names you may recognize: Ellary, Ellory, Elery, Hillary. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Ellery?
An uncommon but rising unisex name in the United States, used for both girls and boys with a recent lean toward girls.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ellery mean?+
The name Ellery means “cheerful” and is of English (from Latin via medieval Hilary) origin.
What is the origin of the name Ellery?+
Ellery originates from English (from Latin via medieval Hilary).
Is Ellery a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Ellery has trended in the US over time.
Ellery by gender
More unisex names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press