Love the nickname Ellie, but wonder if Ella or Elle is enough of a name to fill out a birth certificate?  We hear you!  

Fortunately, Ellie is a sweet and simple name that can be derived from any number of given names, ranging from the exotic to the classically classic.  Read on for some great ways to get to Ellie - and then check out You Can’t Call It It’s post on Ella.

First, here are a few options that are classically classic in every way:

• Elizabeth, Elisabeth:  Worn by queens and saints, it’s impossible to argue with the enduring appeal of this name.  It is possible, however, to choose another nickname, ranging from the out of favor Liz to the white-hot Libby.  Speaking of hot, know that Elizabeth is a Top Ten choice in recent years, and the Euro-chic Elisabeth remains comfortably familiar, too.
• Eleanor, Elinor: An equally regal choice that’s less often heard, Eleanor and Elinor fall in an out of fashion.  In England, Eleanor stood in the Top 50 in recent years; across the pond, it’s a less common #271 as of 2007.  Elinor does not rank in the Top 1000 in the US, but is an equally valid variant.  In fact, Jane Austen’s heroine in Sense and Sensibility was Elinor Dashwood.

Or you might choose a well-known and enduring name that’s a bit less common:

• Eliza:  She started life as a pet form of Elizabeth, but a long history of use makes it fair game as an independent given name.  It’s a sophisticated choice with spirit, and brings to mind Audrey Hepburn playing the enchanting Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.  In 2007, Eliza ranked #334 in the US.
• Elise: Another of Elizabeth’s offspring, Elise is a gentler choice than the spunky Eliza.  It’s hovered near the Top Ten in Belgium, and sounds just right paired with a French-tinged surname.  ”Für Elise” is Beethoven’s piece for piano; the Elise for whom it was intended is lost to history.  At #225, it’s neither popular nor obscure.
• Elaine: A variant of Helen, kept alive in the tales of King Arthur, Elaine was a fashion-forward choice from the 1920s through the 1950s in the US.  Today, it’s relatively obscure at #717.  But should you choose Elaine for your daughter circa 2007, the more appealing nickname is the lively Lainey.  Still, you can certainly arrive at Ellie via the dignified Elaine.
• Elena:  A lovely, pan-European name, again a variant of Helen, Elena has gained in popularity in recent years.  We think it’s among the best of the Getting to Ellie options.  Unfortunately, Elena has a serious flaw.  It can be - and is - spelled Elaine, Alayna, Alaina, Elayna and on and on and on.  With princesses, athletes and even an obscure Francesco Cavalli opera bearing the name, we feel that Elena is the obvious choice.  The Spanish agree with us - it’s a Top 20 choice for girls there.  But beware that in the US, Elena is more popular than the #192 ranking implies.
• Ellen: She’s fallen out of favor since the 19th and early 20th centuries in the US.  Ellen last appeared in the Top 100 in 1961, and today stands at #581.  But in Sweden, this Helen-variant remains a Top 20 choice.  And if you love the simplicity and tailored, no-nonsense appeal of names like Jane and Claire, Ellen might be a reasonable way to Get to Ellie.  It’s not fashionable, but it is familiar.  Elin is also heard, especially in Northern Europe.

You might also pick an El- name rich with foreign flair and seldom heard on these shores:

• Eloise: Dating back to the Middle Ages, this choice reminds most parents of Kay Thompson’s book series for children.  The hero introduces herself with the line:  ”My name is Eloise.  I am six.  I live at the Plaza.”  The exploits of this big city girl, her pet turtle and long-suffering Nana were bedtime stories for many modern mamas.  It’s a frilly, French-tinged choice that benefits from the option of using the simple nickname Ellie.  It has not appeared in the Top 1000 in the US since 1965, despite a number of recent film and TV adaptations.
• Elodie: Like Eloise, Elodie has a French flair that might appeal to some parents.  It rhymes with Melody, but is unrelated.  And while Melody seems trapped in the 20th century, this option remains fresh and nicely obscure.  It has not ranked in the Top 1000 in the US since the 19th century.
• Elsa: While this is so close to Ella that it might not offer a meaningful substitute, it is a chart-topping option from Sweden that works well with longer surnames.  It has been in steady use in the US, but it’s never been popular.  At #745, Elsa remains comfortably obscure.  Some view it as yet another pet form of Elizabeth, other see it as related to our next suggestion.
• Elza: A Hebrew name meaningful joyful, Elza actually charted as a male name in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Today it sounds mysteriously foreign - and undeniably feminine.  It has not appeared in the Top 1000 in the US since 1883.
• Elvira:  The most daring way of all to Get to Ellie, Elvira brings to mind the Mistress of the Dark, the Oak Ridge Boys’ song or the Danish circus performer murdered by her lover.  The last and most tragic Elvira - Madigan - lives on in film.  The Mozart piano concerto used in the movie is now often called the “Theme from Elvira Madigan.”  It’s a dangerous and glamorous choice that needs the option of Ellie as an escape route until your child is old enough to wear this dramatic moniker - and perhaps you’ll hope that day never comes.  Elvira has not been in the Top 1000 since 1981.
• Elspeth: A favorite of ours at ApMtn, Elspeth is a Scottish twist on Elizabeth.  Unlike Elsbeth or Lizbeth, the “p” helps this one stand out from other contracted forms of the full name.  While there have been a steady stream of Elspeths, especially in the UK, it has never appeared in the Top 1000 in the US.  Of course, if you choose Elspeth, you may find that the two syllables are simple enough to not require a short form at all.
• Elke: Again, there’s little need to nickname with such a brief and distinctive name, but Elke remains an option.  Originally a pet name, derived from the same root that gave us Alice, it is sometimes bestowed independently.  Pronounced EL keh, you’re far more likely to hear it in Europe.  It has never entered the Top 1000 in the US.

And, of course, you can borrow from the boys or put a last name first:

• Ellison: A surname name with ties to literature (Ralph Ellison, author of The Invisible Man) and scores of other notables, Ellison could work well for a daughter.  It’s close to Allison - perhaps confusingly so - and certainly Gets to Ellie.  It last appeared in the Top 1000 in the US in 1909 - for boys.
• Ellery: Ellery is hanging on ApMtn’s family tree, as it happens.  Related to Hillary, it’s thought of as a masculine name and is familiar to most as a fictional detective, Ellery Queen.  But to our ear, Ellery undeniably works better for a daughter than a son.  In fact, Eleri is an unrelated Welsh name that feels a bit too flimsy with the “i” ending to wear as well as this version.
• Elliot, Elliott: An increasingly popular choice for a boy, a daring parent might consider Elliot - with or without the second t - for a daughter.  For boys, Eliot was 359 in 2007, and the “tt” version 389.  Add it up, and your girl may well be mistaken for a boy.  But if you plan to call her Ellie, this remains an interesting route to get there.
• Ellis: With a history as both a surname and a given name, Ellis earns a place on this list.  And unlike Eliot/t, it’s not common for boys - it ranked #819 for boys in 2007 - so sidesteps those problems.

There you have it … not quite two dozen ways to Get to Ellie.  And we haven’t even scratched the surface.  If you’d like to consider names that end in -el/elle, check out the post referenced above on You Can’t Call It It’s site for some great ideas.