Elly is a short form of Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth and takes its meaning from whichever name stands behind it, most often "bright, shining one" from Helen or "God is my oath" from Elizabeth. The y spelling is common in Dutch and German families, while American parents more often write Ellie. Elly peaked in the United States at number 1254 in 2010 and sits at number 1613 in 2025.