Elmer

Last seen for girls in 1980 at #10,392 · #1,222 for boys in 2025, 165 births
Given to boys 98.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1893 · 574 births
Debut · boys
373 births
In top 100 · boys
53 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
129,591
since 1880

Elmer over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201926peak #32, 1893boys
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—#1,222165
2024—#1,155181
2023—#1,346140
2022—#1,191168
2021—#1,207160
2020—#1,308138
2019—#1,118175
2018—#1,261145
2017—#1,213151
2016—#1,141169
2015—#1,205153
2014—#1,130169
2013—#1,144158
2012—#1,237143
2011—#1,046181
2010—#1,005195
2009—#909227
2008—#1,041182
2007—#857244
2006—#889221
2005—#826227
2004—#832214
2003—#649307
2002—#760227
2001—#734237
2000—#850188
1999—#850178
1998—#749215
1997—#711222
1996—#704225
1995—#738212
1994—#772186
1993—#725205
1992—#675236
1991—#699210
1990—#691215
1989—#767167
1988—#727168
1987—#724160
1986—#744149
1985—#752140
1984—#677163
1983—#698150
1982—#708151
1981—#689157
1980#10,3925#681162
1979—#618191
1978—#651166
1977—#639176
1976—#598184
1975#9,0675#590187
1974—#537222
1973—#539209
1972—#502245
1971—#486271
1970—#476286
1969—#450300
1968—#435307
1967#6,0426#434306
1966#6,5645#426319
1965—#405376
1964#6,0096#407389
1963#6,5925#398409
1962#6,5785#385434
1961—#363478
1960#4,4379#342515
1959#4,3009#337529
1958#3,92510#329549
1957#4,5368#289660
1956#5,3256#286656
1955#4,7407#261714
1954#4,6557#271673
1953#3,9559#265688
1952#3,20112#245761
1951#2,93713#226842
1950#3,05212#226809
1949#2,21220#215866
1948#2,49116#203971
1947#2,89813#201997
1946#3,03411#1781,046
1945#2,23715#169969
1944#2,02718#1641,069
1943#2,35215#1541,311
1942#2,04618#1581,228
1941#2,09616#1471,202
1940#2,29713#1441,220
1939#1,51425#1321,327
1938#1,65022#1301,332
1937#1,49325#1201,413
1936#1,18636#1211,412
1935#1,38128#1151,592
1934#1,19036#1081,709
1933#1,33029#1011,787
1932#1,21335#942,058
1931#1,19936#822,265
1930#1,12843#802,476
1929#1,01551#702,697
1928#89667#632,977
1927#1,04254#613,205
1926#96360#613,233
1925#1,06451#613,356
1924#1,12348#573,731
1923#1,15844#573,630
1922#1,05951#543,738
1921#1,00356#484,146
1920#1,07448#454,206
1919#98453#443,982
1918#1,12643#444,373
1917#1,01348#453,812
1916#1,05943#453,936
1915#1,00044#453,802
1914#1,11929#462,878
1913#96131#452,323
1912#97827#471,840
1911#93222#48894
1910#1,06917#48760
1909#76128#45687
1908#82922#42689
1907#1,3849#44616
1906#1,22910#42598
1905#79721#41602
1904#1,09211#39620
1903#1,02712#40556
1902#1,3208#40574
1901#1,1369#38520
1900#88518#38699
1899#1,3946#37514
1898#96313#40583
1897#1,1678#34587
1896#1,04710#36576
1895#1,5925#34610
1894#90512#37575
1893#86512#32574
1892#90811#36592
1891#1,0068#36508
1890#9409#38528
1889#1,1476#34557
1888—#39527
1887—#36467
1886—#35485
1885#7459#40443
1884—#35523
1883—#40423
1882—#38441
1881—#38388
1880—#41373
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Elmer was already there! It came in at #41, and was given to 373 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2010–2025, when fewer than 200 boys a year got the name.

Where Elmer is popular in 1926

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedAKMaine: #77 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 337 boysMEVermont: #46 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 173 boysVTNew Hampshire: #104 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 631 boysNHWashington: #62 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 248 boysWAIdaho: #60 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 223 boysIDMontana: #42 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 181 boysMTNorth Dakota: #28 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 117 boysNDMinnesota: #58 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 234 boysMNIllinois: #56 for boys · 199 births · 1 in 291 boysILWisconsin: #55 for boys · 111 births · 1 in 213 boysWIMichigan: #67 for boys · 118 births · 1 in 347 boysMINew York: #118 for boys · 111 births · 1 in 867 boysNYMassachusetts: #111 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 1,027 boysMARhode Island: #98 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 665 boysRIOregon: #44 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 182 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #31 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 125 boysSDIowa: #49 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 204 boysIAIndiana: #57 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 290 boysINOhio: #45 for boys · 210 births · 1 in 251 boysOHPennsylvania: #54 for boys · 304 births · 1 in 287 boysPANew Jersey: #63 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 390 boysNJConnecticut: #89 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 656 boysCTCalifornia: #84 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 418 boysCAUtah: #91 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 370 boysUTColorado: #47 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 224 boysCONebraska: #52 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 205 boysNEMissouri: #46 for boys · 139 births · 1 in 212 boysMOKentucky: #39 for boys · 133 births · 1 in 192 boysKYWest Virginia: #42 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 219 boysWVVirginia: #59 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 277 boysVAMaryland: #41 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 179 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedDEArizona: #138 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 540 boysAZNew Mexico: #156 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 620 boysNMKansas: #46 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 185 boysKSArkansas: #50 for boys · 79 births · 1 in 232 boysARTennessee: #44 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 245 boysTNNorth Carolina: #106 for boys · 60 births · 1 in 566 boysNCSouth Carolina: #263 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,291 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #78 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 483 boysDCOklahoma: #50 for boys · 114 births · 1 in 199 boysOKLouisiana: #119 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 603 boysLAMississippi: #76 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 398 boysMSAlabama: #115 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 625 boysALGeorgia: #101 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 530 boysGAHawaii: #132 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 521 boysHITexas: #91 for boys · 134 births · 1 in 410 boysTXFlorida: #100 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 477 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. North Dakota#28 · 1 in 117
  2. South Dakota#31 · 1 in 125
  3. Kentucky#39 · 1 in 192
  4. Maryland#41 · 1 in 179
  5. Montana#42 · 1 in 181

Best ever in a state: #12 in Nevada, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#28541 in 117
South Dakota#31471 in 125
Kentucky#391331 in 192
Maryland#41731 in 179
Montana#42211 in 181
West Virginia#42801 in 219
Oregon#44321 in 182
Tennessee#44981 in 245
Ohio#452101 in 251
Kansas#46821 in 185
Missouri#461391 in 212
Vermont#46141 in 173
Colorado#47361 in 224
Iowa#49981 in 204
Arkansas#50791 in 232
Oklahoma#501141 in 199
Nebraska#52571 in 205
Pennsylvania#543041 in 287
Wisconsin#551111 in 213
Illinois#561991 in 291
Indiana#57891 in 290
Minnesota#58921 in 234
Virginia#59801 in 277
Idaho#60161 in 223
Washington#62381 in 248
New Jersey#63771 in 390
Michigan#671181 in 347
Mississippi#76511 in 398
Maine#77181 in 337
District of Columbia#7871 in 483
California#84881 in 418
Connecticut#89181 in 656
Texas#911341 in 410
Utah#91131 in 370
Rhode Island#9881 in 665
Florida#100321 in 477
Georgia#101511 in 530
New Hampshire#10451 in 631
North Carolina#106601 in 566
Massachusetts#111331 in 1,027
Alabama#115441 in 625
New York#1181111 in 867
Louisiana#119331 in 603
Hawaii#13261 in 521
Arizona#13871 in 540
New Mexico#15661 in 620
South Carolina#26381 in 2,291
Alaska———
Delaware———
Nevada———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys 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 Elmer
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 67 spots since 2024 (#1,155 → #1,222)
  • 86 spots since 2020 (#1,308 → #1,222)
  • 17 spots since 2015 (#1,205 → #1,222)
  • Biggest jump: 132 spots in 2009 (#1,041 → #909)
  • Biggest drop: 184 spots in 2008 (#857 → #1,041)
Rise & fade · boys
13 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1893 at #32 (574 births)
  • Births halved by 1970, 77 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 53 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 53 yrs · run 1880–1932
  • Top 1,000: 129 yrs · run 1880–2007
Share of babies · boys
1 in 192
  • Highest: 1 in 192 boys born in 1897 were named Elmer (0.52%)
  • Latest: 1 in 10,352 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #32 in 1893, was only 1 in 196 (0.51%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 26.9% of all boys named Elmer (34,919) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s4,627#34 (1889)#38
1890s5,647#32 (1893)#36
1900s6,161#38 (1900)#41
1910s28,600#44 (1918)#46
1920s34,919#45 (1920)#58
1930s17,371#80 (1930)#108
1940s10,879#144 (1940)#173
1950s6,881#226 (1951)#274
1960s3,833#342 (1960)#405
1970s2,137#476 (1970)#564
1980s1,567#677 (1984)#717
1990s2,104#675 (1992)#731
2000s2,274#649 (2003)#835
2010s1,639#1,005 (2010)#1,150
2020s952#1,155 (2024)#1,238

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

Elmer in 1926

girls
#963
60 births · 1 in 19,757 girls
boys
#61
3,233 births · 1 in 343 boys

Top girls' names in 1926

  1. #1Mary67,832
  2. #2Dorothy36,618
  3. #3Betty32,964
  4. #4Helen26,886
  5. #5Margaret23,072
  6. #6Ruth20,225
  7. #7Doris16,295
  8. #8Virginia16,161
  9. #9Mildred13,547
  10. #10Frances13,355
  11. #963Elmer60

Top boys' names in 1926

  1. #1Robert61,130
  2. #2John56,108
  3. #3James53,196
  4. #4William51,922
  5. #5Charles29,521
  6. #6George25,910
  7. #7Richard25,143
  8. #8Joseph23,756
  9. #9Donald20,912
  10. #10Edward19,375
  11. #61Elmer3,233
More about 1926

girls

1,185,401 girls got a published name in 1926; 1 in 19,757 of them was named Elmer, which outranked 82.9% of the 5,622 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmer
  1. #958Garnett61
  2. #958Kathryne61
  3. #958Ossie61
  4. #963Elmer60
  5. #963Concha60
  6. #963Denise60
  7. #963Jacquelin60
  8. #971Clarissa59
  9. #971Elois59
  10. #971Euna59

Tied with 7 names at #963; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1925
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,047Janell#1,795 → #748
  2. ↑ 389Madalyn#1,225 → #836
  3. ↑ 382Evangelina#1,324 → #942
  4. ↑ 379Carla#1,252 → #873
  5. ↑ 351Vilma#1,020 → #669
Fallers
  1. ↓ 597Albertine#944 → #1,541
  2. ↓ 462Cleora#895 → #1,357
  3. ↓ 461Lorrayne#988 → #1,449
  4. ↓ 453Hermina#996 → #1,449
  5. ↓ 307Ethelene#913 → #1,220

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

boys

1,110,505 boys got a published name in 1926; 1 in 343 of them was named Elmer, which outranked 98.7% of the 4,837 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmer
  1. #58Peter3,358
  2. #59Andrew3,344
  3. #60Lloyd3,278
  4. #61Elmer3,233
  5. #62Clifford3,190
  6. #63Theodore3,129
  7. #64Frederick3,120
Biggest movers since 1925
Risers
  1. ↑ 477Jonnie#1,332 → #855
  2. ↑ 433Jorge#1,425 → #992
  3. ↑ 410Faustino#1,390 → #980
  4. ↑ 404Adelbert#1,246 → #842
  5. ↑ 381Cameron#1,164 → #783
Fallers
  1. ↓ 531Okey#984 → #1,515
  2. ↓ 459Florentino#973 → #1,432
  3. ↓ 407Rexford#924 → #1,331
  4. ↓ 380Marshal#973 → #1,353
  5. ↓ 378Coolidge#746 → #1,124

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

See the top 100 for 1926 →