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
- Peak · boys
- 1893 · 574 births
- Debut · boys
- 373 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 53 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 129,591since 1880
Elmer over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #1,222 | 165 | |
| 2024 | — | #1,155 | 181 | |
| 2023 | — | #1,346 | 140 | |
| 2022 | — | #1,191 | 168 | |
| 2021 | — | #1,207 | 160 | |
| 2020 | — | #1,308 | 138 | |
| 2019 | — | #1,118 | 175 | |
| 2018 | — | #1,261 | 145 | |
| 2017 | — | #1,213 | 151 | |
| 2016 | — | #1,141 | 169 | |
| 2015 | — | #1,205 | 153 | |
| 2014 | — | #1,130 | 169 | |
| 2013 | — | #1,144 | 158 | |
| 2012 | — | #1,237 | 143 | |
| 2011 | — | #1,046 | 181 | |
| 2010 | — | #1,005 | 195 | |
| 2009 | — | #909 | 227 | |
| 2008 | — | #1,041 | 182 | |
| 2007 | — | #857 | 244 | |
| 2006 | — | #889 | 221 | |
| 2005 | — | #826 | 227 | |
| 2004 | — | #832 | 214 | |
| 2003 | — | #649 | 307 | |
| 2002 | — | #760 | 227 | |
| 2001 | — | #734 | 237 | |
| 2000 | — | #850 | 188 | |
| 1999 | — | #850 | 178 | |
| 1998 | — | #749 | 215 | |
| 1997 | — | #711 | 222 | |
| 1996 | — | #704 | 225 | |
| 1995 | — | #738 | 212 | |
| 1994 | — | #772 | 186 | |
| 1993 | — | #725 | 205 | |
| 1992 | — | #675 | 236 | |
| 1991 | — | #699 | 210 | |
| 1990 | — | #691 | 215 | |
| 1989 | — | #767 | 167 | |
| 1988 | — | #727 | 168 | |
| 1987 | — | #724 | 160 | |
| 1986 | — | #744 | 149 | |
| 1985 | — | #752 | 140 | |
| 1984 | — | #677 | 163 | |
| 1983 | — | #698 | 150 | |
| 1982 | — | #708 | 151 | |
| 1981 | — | #689 | 157 | |
| 1980 | #10,392 | 5 | #681 | 162 |
| 1979 | — | #618 | 191 | |
| 1978 | — | #651 | 166 | |
| 1977 | — | #639 | 176 | |
| 1976 | — | #598 | 184 | |
| 1975 | #9,067 | 5 | #590 | 187 |
| 1974 | — | #537 | 222 | |
| 1973 | — | #539 | 209 | |
| 1972 | — | #502 | 245 | |
| 1971 | — | #486 | 271 | |
| 1970 | — | #476 | 286 | |
| 1969 | — | #450 | 300 | |
| 1968 | — | #435 | 307 | |
| 1967 | #6,042 | 6 | #434 | 306 |
| 1966 | #6,564 | 5 | #426 | 319 |
| 1965 | — | #405 | 376 | |
| 1964 | #6,009 | 6 | #407 | 389 |
| 1963 | #6,592 | 5 | #398 | 409 |
| 1962 | #6,578 | 5 | #385 | 434 |
| 1961 | — | #363 | 478 | |
| 1960 | #4,437 | 9 | #342 | 515 |
| 1959 | #4,300 | 9 | #337 | 529 |
| 1958 | #3,925 | 10 | #329 | 549 |
| 1957 | #4,536 | 8 | #289 | 660 |
| 1956 | #5,325 | 6 | #286 | 656 |
| 1955 | #4,740 | 7 | #261 | 714 |
| 1954 | #4,655 | 7 | #271 | 673 |
| 1953 | #3,955 | 9 | #265 | 688 |
| 1952 | #3,201 | 12 | #245 | 761 |
| 1951 | #2,937 | 13 | #226 | 842 |
| 1950 | #3,052 | 12 | #226 | 809 |
| 1949 | #2,212 | 20 | #215 | 866 |
| 1948 | #2,491 | 16 | #203 | 971 |
| 1947 | #2,898 | 13 | #201 | 997 |
| 1946 | #3,034 | 11 | #178 | 1,046 |
| 1945 | #2,237 | 15 | #169 | 969 |
| 1944 | #2,027 | 18 | #164 | 1,069 |
| 1943 | #2,352 | 15 | #154 | 1,311 |
| 1942 | #2,046 | 18 | #158 | 1,228 |
| 1941 | #2,096 | 16 | #147 | 1,202 |
| 1940 | #2,297 | 13 | #144 | 1,220 |
| 1939 | #1,514 | 25 | #132 | 1,327 |
| 1938 | #1,650 | 22 | #130 | 1,332 |
| 1937 | #1,493 | 25 | #120 | 1,413 |
| 1936 | #1,186 | 36 | #121 | 1,412 |
| 1935 | #1,381 | 28 | #115 | 1,592 |
| 1934 | #1,190 | 36 | #108 | 1,709 |
| 1933 | #1,330 | 29 | #101 | 1,787 |
| 1932 | #1,213 | 35 | #94 | 2,058 |
| 1931 | #1,199 | 36 | #82 | 2,265 |
| 1930 | #1,128 | 43 | #80 | 2,476 |
| 1929 | #1,015 | 51 | #70 | 2,697 |
| 1928 | #896 | 67 | #63 | 2,977 |
| 1927 | #1,042 | 54 | #61 | 3,205 |
| 1926 | #963 | 60 | #61 | 3,233 |
| 1925 | #1,064 | 51 | #61 | 3,356 |
| 1924 | #1,123 | 48 | #57 | 3,731 |
| 1923 | #1,158 | 44 | #57 | 3,630 |
| 1922 | #1,059 | 51 | #54 | 3,738 |
| 1921 | #1,003 | 56 | #48 | 4,146 |
| 1920 | #1,074 | 48 | #45 | 4,206 |
| 1919 | #984 | 53 | #44 | 3,982 |
| 1918 | #1,126 | 43 | #44 | 4,373 |
| 1917 | #1,013 | 48 | #45 | 3,812 |
| 1916 | #1,059 | 43 | #45 | 3,936 |
| 1915 | #1,000 | 44 | #45 | 3,802 |
| 1914 | #1,119 | 29 | #46 | 2,878 |
| 1913 | #961 | 31 | #45 | 2,323 |
| 1912 | #978 | 27 | #47 | 1,840 |
| 1911 | #932 | 22 | #48 | 894 |
| 1910 | #1,069 | 17 | #48 | 760 |
| 1909 | #761 | 28 | #45 | 687 |
| 1908 | #829 | 22 | #42 | 689 |
| 1907 | #1,384 | 9 | #44 | 616 |
| 1906 | #1,229 | 10 | #42 | 598 |
| 1905 | #797 | 21 | #41 | 602 |
| 1904 | #1,092 | 11 | #39 | 620 |
| 1903 | #1,027 | 12 | #40 | 556 |
| 1902 | #1,320 | 8 | #40 | 574 |
| 1901 | #1,136 | 9 | #38 | 520 |
| 1900 | #885 | 18 | #38 | 699 |
| 1899 | #1,394 | 6 | #37 | 514 |
| 1898 | #963 | 13 | #40 | 583 |
| 1897 | #1,167 | 8 | #34 | 587 |
| 1896 | #1,047 | 10 | #36 | 576 |
| 1895 | #1,592 | 5 | #34 | 610 |
| 1894 | #905 | 12 | #37 | 575 |
| 1893 | #865 | 12 | #32 | 574 |
| 1892 | #908 | 11 | #36 | 592 |
| 1891 | #1,006 | 8 | #36 | 508 |
| 1890 | #940 | 9 | #38 | 528 |
| 1889 | #1,147 | 6 | #34 | 557 |
| 1888 | — | #39 | 527 | |
| 1887 | — | #36 | 467 | |
| 1886 | — | #35 | 485 | |
| 1885 | #745 | 9 | #40 | 443 |
| 1884 | — | #35 | 523 | |
| 1883 | — | #40 | 423 | |
| 1882 | — | #38 | 441 | |
| 1881 | — | #38 | 388 | |
| 1880 | — | #41 | 373 | |
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 1972
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Hawaii#186 · 1 in 863
- Kentucky#207 · 1 in 1,659
- West Virginia#228 · 1 in 2,304
- New Mexico#290 · 1 in 1,766
- Maryland#301 · 1 in 3,369
Best ever in a state: #12 in Nevada, 1913.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | #186 | 7 | 1 in 863 |
| Kentucky | #207 | 16 | 1 in 1,659 |
| West Virginia | #228 | 6 | 1 in 2,304 |
| New Mexico | #290 | 5 | 1 in 1,766 |
| Maryland | #301 | 7 | 1 in 3,369 |
| Tennessee | #350 | 8 | 1 in 4,015 |
| Pennsylvania | #351 | 15 | 1 in 5,278 |
| Missouri | #369 | 8 | 1 in 4,392 |
| Oklahoma | #376 | 5 | 1 in 3,779 |
| Virginia | #380 | 7 | 1 in 4,767 |
| Arizona | #402 | 5 | 1 in 3,388 |
| Indiana | #415 | 7 | 1 in 5,948 |
| Mississippi | #415 | 5 | 1 in 3,984 |
| Alabama | #439 | 5 | 1 in 5,527 |
| Ohio | #453 | 11 | 1 in 7,398 |
| New Jersey | #454 | 7 | 1 in 6,556 |
| New York | #489 | 18 | 1 in 6,771 |
| Texas | #558 | 17 | 1 in 6,259 |
| Georgia | #559 | 5 | 1 in 8,106 |
| California | #624 | 16 | 1 in 9,384 |
| Illinois | #648 | 8 | 1 in 10,342 |
| Florida | #649 | 5 | 1 in 10,098 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| 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
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,627 | #34 (1889) | #38 |
| 1890s | 5,647 | #32 (1893) | #36 |
| 1900s | 6,161 | #38 (1900) | #41 |
| 1910s | 28,600 | #44 (1918) | #46 |
| 1920s | 34,919 | #45 (1920) | #58 |
| 1930s | 17,371 | #80 (1930) | #108 |
| 1940s | 10,879 | #144 (1940) | #173 |
| 1950s | 6,881 | #226 (1951) | #274 |
| 1960s | 3,833 | #342 (1960) | #405 |
| 1970s | 2,137 | #476 (1970) | #564 |
| 1980s | 1,567 | #677 (1984) | #717 |
| 1990s | 2,104 | #675 (1992) | #731 |
| 2000s | 2,274 | #649 (2003) | #835 |
| 2010s | 1,639 | #1,005 (2010) | #1,150 |
| 2020s | 952 | #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 1972
boys
#502
245 births · 1 in 6,619 boys
Top boys' names in 1972
More about 1972
boys
1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 6,619 of them was named Elmer, which outranked 91.3% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).