Ella

/ˈɛl.ə/

//ˈɛl.ə// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ella" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Ella” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,414 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#12,414
frequency rank, English
4
letters
3
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A female given name.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Ella vs era
25% similar
Ella vs EPA
25% similar
Ella vs EVA
25% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Ella
PropertyValue
HeadwordElla
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈɛl.ə/
Letters4
Frequency rank#12,414
Misspellings tracked3
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Ella” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Ella lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Ella is 4 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛl.ə/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,414 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 3 likely wrong-spelling variants for Ella, with forms such as "ela", "elal", and "lela". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "era", "EPA", "EVA", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: A 19th-century shortening of Eleanor or Ellen, later also used for any name ending in -ella, such as Gabriella or Daniella. Similar abbreviations have been formed independently in many European languages, for any name containing the syllable -el-, e.g. Elis… The correct English form is Ella, spelled E-L-L-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A female given name.
  2. 2
    A diminutive of the female given names Eleanor, Ellen, Gabriella, or Daniella.
  3. 3
    A placename:
  4. 4
    A placename:
  5. 5
    A placename:
  6. 6
    A placename:
  7. 7
    A placename:

Etymology

A 19th-century shortening of Eleanor or Ellen, later also used for any name ending in -ella, such as Gabriella or Daniella. Similar abbreviations have been formed independently in many European languages, for any name containing the syllable -el-, e.g. Elisabeth.

This word in other languages

Ella(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ela,elal,lela

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Ella - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ela1elal2lela2
Edit distance from "Ella"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Ella"?
"Ella" is spelled E-L-L-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛl.ə/.
What does "Ella" mean?
As a proper noun, "Ella" means: A female given name.
What words are commonly confused with "Ella"?
"Ella" is commonly confused with "era", "EPA", "EVA". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Ella"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ella" is /ˈɛl.ə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Ella"?
A 19th-century shortening of Eleanor or Ellen, later also used for any name ending in -ella, such as Gabriella or Daniella. Similar abbreviations have been formed independently in many European languages, for any name containing the syllable -el-,... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Ella”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-L-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛl.ə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “era” - see the side-by-side comparison. Ella vs era
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list