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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201945peak #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 1945

  • 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: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedIDMontana: 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: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedWIMichigan: #543 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 9,972 girlsMINew York: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: 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: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedINOhio: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: #470 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 7,816 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #757 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 11,930 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNEMissouri: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedWVVirginia: #312 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,867 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: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #461 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 5,796 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #346 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,333 girlsLAMississippi: #302 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,119 girlsMSAlabama: #324 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,840 girlsALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedHITexas: #309 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 2,063 girlsTXFlorida: #400 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,742 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Mississippi#302 · 1 in 2,119
  2. Texas#309 · 1 in 2,063
  3. Virginia#312 · 1 in 2,867
  4. Alabama#324 · 1 in 2,840
  5. Louisiana#346 · 1 in 2,333

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#302111 in 2,119
Texas#309351 in 2,063
Virginia#312101 in 2,867
Alabama#324111 in 2,840
Louisiana#346111 in 2,333
Florida#40061 in 3,742
North Carolina#46171 in 5,796
Pennsylvania#470101 in 7,816
Michigan#54351 in 9,972
California#75771 in 11,930
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Illinois———
Indiana———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Kentucky———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Minnesota———
Missouri———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
New York———
North Dakota———
Ohio———
Oklahoma———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Tennessee———
Utah———
Vermont———
Washington———
West Virginia———
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 1945

girls
#547
179 births · 1 in 7,302 girls
boys
#3,338
5 births · 1 in 269,171 boys

Top girls' names in 1945

  1. #1Mary59,278
  2. #2Linda41,465
  3. #3Barbara38,273
  4. #4Patricia35,844
  5. #5Carol30,389
  6. #6Sandra24,700
  7. #7Nancy21,456
  8. #8Sharon20,838
  9. #9Judith20,192
  10. #10Susan19,222
  11. #547Elma179

Top boys' names in 1945

  1. #1James74,464
  2. #2Robert69,947
  3. #3John66,117
  4. #4William50,218
  5. #5Richard46,046
  6. #6David37,110
  7. #7Charles32,469
  8. #8Thomas31,874
  9. #9Michael29,902
  10. #10Ronald23,665
  11. #3,338Elma5
More about 1945

girls

1,307,090 girls got a published name in 1945; 1 in 7,302 of them was named Elma, which outranked 89.6% of the 5,242 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #544Ingrid180
  2. #544Karon180
  3. #544Roslyn180
  4. #547Elma179
  5. #547Esperanza179
  6. #547Ronda179
  7. #550Goldie178
  8. #550Helena178
  9. #552Leila176

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

Biggest movers since 1944
Risers
  1. ↑ 799Lauren#1,153 → #354
  2. ↑ 707Amber#1,661 → #954
  3. ↑ 648Laureen#1,315 → #667
  4. ↑ 630Deidre#1,609 → #979
  5. ↑ 623Candice#1,364 → #741
Fallers
  1. ↓ 395Bernardine#937 → #1,332
  2. ↓ 386Joella#988 → #1,374
  3. ↓ 342Venita#937 → #1,279
  4. ↓ 275Magdalene#867 → #1,142
  5. ↓ 249Alpha#964 → #1,213

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

boys

1,345,855 boys got a published name in 1945; 1 in 269,171 of them was named Elma, which outranked 11.8% of the 3,783 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #2,996Yolanda6
  2. #2,996Young6
  3. #2,996Zebedee6
  4. #3,338Elma5
  5. #3,338Add5
  6. #3,338Addis5
  7. #3,338Adelaido5

Tied with 445 names at #3,338; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1944
Risers
  1. ↑ 527Delano#1,085 → #558
  2. ↑ 499Dane#1,235 → #736
  3. ↑ 385Eusebio#1,328 → #943
  4. ↑ 371Erick#1,235 → #864
  5. ↑ 311Gerardo#1,282 → #971
Fallers
  1. ↓ 479Joan#870 → #1,349
  2. ↓ 408Kit#841 → #1,249
  3. ↓ 392Llewellyn#935 → #1,327
  4. ↓ 361Valentine#888 → #1,249
  5. ↓ 321Hilario#906 → #1,227

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

See the top 100 for 1945 →