Names starting with E

Ellis to Ezra.

1. Ellis

   Gender-neutral

   Ellis has more than one history. Ellis can come through English surnames derived from Elis or Elias, or through Welsh Elisedd.†

   † These are two documented routes, not a complete list of every Ellis history or evidence of a child’s ancestry.

   The Welsh connection with kindness. On the Welsh Elisedd branch, the root elus is explained as “kind” or “benevolent”.†

   † “Kind” or “benevolent” belongs to the Welsh Elisedd branch; it is not a meaning shared by every Ellis.

2. Elodie

   Girl

   Elodie, Élodie and Alodia. English Elodie comes from French Élodie, which goes back to the older name Alodia. French Catholic naming tradition also records the unaccented spelling Elodie.

   Different explanations for Alodia. One explanation of Alodia points to a possible Visigothic name. A French saints’ reference instead connects it with Latin alodis, “property”. Neither account gives Elodie a certain one-word meaning.†

   † The possible Visigothic explanation rests on uncertain name elements.

3. Enzo

   Boy

   Several name families. Enzo can be short for Vincenzo or Lorenzo. Other proposed origins are Heinz, a short form of Heinrich, and the Germanic name Anzo.†

   † There is no settled meaning for Enzo; as a short form, it takes the longer name’s meaning.

4. Ezra

   Boy

   A name with a scribe's story. In Jewish tradition, Ezra is the priest and scribe who led exiles back to Jerusalem and helped restore public Torah observance. That gives a family a particular story to pass on with the name.

   The short meaning is help. Ezra means “help” in Hebrew. It is a small word to carry into a very large undertaking: raising a person.

   A possible longer form. Ezra is probably an abbreviated form of Azaryahu, “God helps”. The short name is written עֶזְרָא in Hebrew.†

   † The longer form is a probable explanation, not a settled expansion of Ezra.