Elma

#4,352 for girls in 2025, 32 births · Last seen for boys in 1957 at #3,024
Given to girls 97.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1901 · 189 births
Debut · girls
28 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
21,703
since 1880

Elma over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Elma has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201930peak #209, 1901girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#4,35232—
2024#4,56030—
2023#5,39023—
2022#5,17225—
2021#4,32632—
2020#6,32518—
2019#4,90927—
2018#4,35732—
2017#4,38432—
2016#4,99027—
2015#4,48831—
2014#5,02527—
2013#5,64423—
2012#4,21635—
2011#4,35333—
2010#4,60831—
2009#4,10737—
2008#4,17937—
2007#3,98339—
2006#3,99237—
2005#3,25747—
2004#3,81937—
2003#2,95651—
2002#3,39440—
2001#2,96348—
2000#3,45338—
1999#3,44336—
1998#5,58318—
1997#6,84413—
1996#4,88320—
1995#5,01919—
1994#5,44517—
1993#5,41917—
1992#5,48417—
1991#6,97612—
1990#6,13114—
1989#4,35821—
1988#4,49619—
1987#6,78810—
1986#5,45913—
1985#3,73022—
1984#3,14427—
1983#3,94919—
1982#3,53023—
1981#3,85920—
1980#3,60922—
1979#3,14726—
1978#2,68031—
1977#3,26723—
1976#2,43933—
1975#2,61229—
1974#2,25435—
1973#2,30933—
1972#1,97541—
1971#1,93744—
1970#2,26734—
1969#1,78447—
1968#1,62550—
1967#1,61749—
1966#1,63247—
1965#1,35066—
1964#1,43362—
1963#1,26276—
1962#1,28374—
1961#1,30572—
1960#1,020111—
1959#1,13089—
1958#1,000108—
1957#1,07294#3,0248
1956#1,007103—
1955#978104—
1954#897114—
1953#809129—
1952#791130—
1951#794125#3,3646
1950#717143#3,3296
1949#683150#2,8028
1948#661159#3,0107
1947#643167#3,7335
1946#624162—
1945#547179#3,3385
1944#576162#1,98813
1943#517208—
1942#495226#2,7128
1941#501193#1,99713
1940#470204#2,6718
1939#469204#2,28810
1938#428244#2,18511
1937#436225#1,75616
1936#396258#2,30110
1935#393267#2,5299
1934#375285#2,39310
1933#369297#2,5429
1932#373299#2,8498
1931#339352#2,8648
1930#345362#2,7819
1929#341360#2,31712
1928#321424#1,82218
1927#308465#1,79619
1926#313449#1,60522
1925#301487#1,93517
1924#290522#2,22914
1923#289494#1,87418
1922#268579#2,34713
1921#271610#1,90418
1920#266600#1,74720
1919#262594#2,06315
1918#249659#2,07315
1917#256580#2,7329
1916#246622#1,45923
1915#245575#2,18412
1914#242484#2,10110
1913#245388#1,49713
1912#233375#1,52711
1911#248252#1,5376
1910#234273—
1909#227248—
1908#234208—
1907#219228—
1906#227193—
1905#243171#1,2335
1904#248160—
1903#235162—
1902#210199—
1901#209189—
1900#235182—
1899#238136—
1898#221172—
1897#218156—
1896#219160#9826
1895#234137—
1894#237127—
1893#230129—
1892#248112—
1891#223118—
1890#234108—
1889#23598—
1888#23497—
1887#24673—
1886#22282—
1885#22776—
1884#25359—
1883#27442—
1882#25047—
1881#24741—
1880#29428—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Elma was already there! It came in at #294, and was given to 28 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1986–1987, when fewer than 14 girls a year got the name.

Where Elma is popular in 1930

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedWAIdaho: #164 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 690 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMNIllinois: #437 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 6,355 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedWIMichigan: #333 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,823 girlsMINew York: #445 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 7,375 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedSDIowa: #347 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,747 girlsIAIndiana: #313 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,586 girlsINOhio: #259 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,481 girlsOHPennsylvania: #293 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 3,729 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #361 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 3,104 girlsCAUtah: #161 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 683 girlsUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNEMissouri: #287 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,328 girlsMOKentucky: #264 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,820 girlsKYWest Virginia: #220 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,312 girlsWVVirginia: #232 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,717 girlsVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNMKansas: #254 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,769 girlsKSArkansas: #309 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,896 girlsARTennessee: #313 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,686 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #263 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,970 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #254 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,803 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #314 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,161 girlsOKLouisiana: #362 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,646 girlsLAMississippi: #276 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,699 girlsMSAlabama: #258 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,762 girlsALGeorgia: #345 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,033 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedHITexas: #299 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 1,526 girlsTXFlorida: #228 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,209 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Utah#161 · 1 in 683
  2. Idaho#164 · 1 in 690
  3. West Virginia#220 · 1 in 1,312
  4. Florida#228 · 1 in 1,209
  5. Virginia#232 · 1 in 1,717

Best ever in a state: #47 in Idaho, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Utah#16171 in 683
Idaho#16451 in 690
West Virginia#220141 in 1,312
Florida#228101 in 1,209
Virginia#232141 in 1,717
Kansas#25481 in 1,769
South Carolina#254111 in 1,803
Alabama#258171 in 1,762
Ohio#259211 in 2,481
North Carolina#263181 in 1,970
Kentucky#264151 in 1,820
Mississippi#276131 in 1,699
Missouri#287121 in 2,328
Pennsylvania#293221 in 3,729
Texas#299391 in 1,526
Arkansas#309101 in 1,896
Indiana#31371 in 3,586
Tennessee#313101 in 2,686
Oklahoma#314111 in 2,161
Michigan#333111 in 3,823
Georgia#345101 in 3,033
Iowa#34751 in 3,747
California#361121 in 3,104
Louisiana#36281 in 2,646
Illinois#43791 in 6,355
New York#445131 in 7,375
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Vermont———
Washington———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Elma
Momentum · girls
Rising
  • 208 spots since 2024 (#4,560 → #4,352)
  • 1,973 spots since 2020 (#6,325 → #4,352)
  • 136 spots since 2015 (#4,488 → #4,352)
  • Biggest jump: 72 spots in 1958 (#1,072 → #1,000)
  • Biggest drop: 130 spots in 1959 (#1,000 → #1,130)
Rise & fade · girls
21 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1901 at #209 (189 births)
  • Births halved by 1957, 56 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 77 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 77 yrs · run 1880–1955
Share of babies · girls
1 in 1,266
  • Highest: 1 in 1,266 girls born in 1901 were named Elma (0.08%)
  • Latest: 1 in 50,227 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 23.0% of all girls named Elma (4,990) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s643#222 (1886)#248
1890s1,355#218 (1897)#230
1900s1,940#209 (1901)#229
1910s4,802#233 (1912)#246
1920s4,990#266 (1920)#297
1930s2,793#339 (1931)#392
1940s1,810#470 (1940)#572
1950s1,139#717 (1950)#920
1960s654#1,020 (1960)#1,431
1970s329#1,937 (1971)#2,489
1980s196#3,144 (1984)#4,292
1990s183#3,443 (1999)#5,523
2000s411#2,956 (2003)#3,610
2010s298#4,216 (2012)#4,697
2020s160#4,326 (2021)#5,021

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Elma in 1930

girls
#345
362 births · 1 in 3,110 girls
boys
#2,781
9 births · 1 in 121,931 boys

Top girls' names in 1930

  1. #1Mary64,153
  2. #2Betty38,240
  3. #3Dorothy30,411
  4. #4Helen19,913
  5. #5Margaret18,350
  6. #6Barbara18,279
  7. #7Patricia15,751
  8. #8Joan15,478
  9. #9Doris15,464
  10. #10Ruth14,942
  11. #345Elma362

Top boys' names in 1930

  1. #1Robert62,153
  2. #2James53,957
  3. #3John52,447
  4. #4William47,271
  5. #5Richard32,187
  6. #6Charles31,867
  7. #7Donald29,052
  8. #8George22,788
  9. #9Joseph20,981
  10. #10Edward17,352
  11. #2,781Elma9
More about 1930

girls

1,125,927 girls got a published name in 1930; 1 in 3,110 of them was named Elma, which outranked 93.4% of the 5,247 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #341Judy366
  2. #343Neva365
  3. #344Rosella363
  4. #345Elma362
  5. #345Eleanore362
  6. #345Jerry362
  7. #345Renee362
  8. #349Betsy361
  9. #350Beverley360
  10. #351Joanna359

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1929
Risers
  1. ↑ 701Claudette#1,642 → #941
  2. ↑ 583Ardeth#1,212 → #629
  3. ↑ 445Julianne#1,339 → #894
  4. ↑ 376Sonja#1,223 → #847
  5. ↑ 374Armida#1,174 → #800
Fallers
  1. ↓ 348Ingrid#941 → #1,289
  2. ↓ 315Coralie#895 → #1,210
  3. ↓ 229Elenor#981 → #1,210
  4. ↓ 229Mammie#981 → #1,210
  5. ↓ 226Sibyl#902 → #1,128

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,097,378 boys got a published name in 1930; 1 in 121,931 of them was named Elma, which outranked 38.8% of the 4,542 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #2,609Wilborn10
  2. #2,609Windle10
  3. #2,609Zollie10
  4. #2,781Elma9
  5. #2,781Alonso9
  6. #2,781Alyn9
  7. #2,781Amando9
  8. #3,022Able8
  9. #3,022Achille8
  10. #3,022Admiral8

Tied with 240 names at #2,781; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1929
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,094Derl#3,959 → #865
  2. ↑ 420Clive#1,378 → #958
  3. ↑ 380Farris#1,272 → #892
  4. ↑ 368Earlie#1,296 → #928
  5. ↑ 357Winton#1,272 → #915
Fallers
  1. ↓ 486Americo#729 → #1,215
  2. ↓ 433Enrico#995 → #1,428
  3. ↓ 371Eliseo#844 → #1,215
  4. ↓ 312Meyer#878 → #1,190
  5. ↓ 304Hilbert#869 → #1,173

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1930 →