It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Ellen is sun ray. Originally a variant of Helen, but now more closely associated with Eleanor. First used as an independent name in the 16th century. Nell is a pet form. English actress Ellen Terry; American actresses Ellyn Burstyn, Ellen Barkin, Ellen DeGeneres.
The days are longer in the summer because our section of the Earth is tilted towards the sun during the summer. Because the tilt of the Earth puts us faces the sun during summer, thus giving us more light. This effect is more and more noticeable the closer to the poles that you go.
In the summer, the sun is higher in the sky, and requires more time to travel from one horizon to the other. The days keep getting longer until the summer solstice, at which point the days start getting shorter until the winter solstice. The halfway points are marked as the spring and fall equinox.