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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201912peak #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 1912

  • 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: #154 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 822 girlsWAIdaho: 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: #157 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 830 girlsMNIllinois: #281 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,566 girlsILWisconsin: #241 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,043 girlsWIMichigan: #144 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 728 girlsMINew York: #300 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 3,528 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedRIOregon: #98 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 341 girlsORNevada: 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: #137 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 697 girlsIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedINOhio: #212 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,641 girlsOHPennsylvania: #235 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 2,410 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #224 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,401 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCONebraska: #170 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 934 girlsNEMissouri: #253 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,692 girlsMOKentucky: #204 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,136 girlsKYWest Virginia: #182 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 885 girlsWVVirginia: #248 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,024 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: #143 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 724 girlsKSArkansas: #233 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,187 girlsARTennessee: #183 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 888 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #148 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 682 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #176 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 979 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #299 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,020 girlsOKLouisiana: #166 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 746 girlsLAMississippi: #140 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 579 girlsMSAlabama: #194 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,055 girlsALGeorgia: #189 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,100 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedHITexas: #294 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,549 girlsTXFlorida: #158 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 675 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oregon#98 · 1 in 341
  2. Iowa#137 · 1 in 697
  3. Mississippi#140 · 1 in 579
  4. Kansas#143 · 1 in 724
  5. Michigan#144 · 1 in 728

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oregon#9871 in 341
Iowa#137131 in 697
Mississippi#140211 in 579
Kansas#143101 in 724
Michigan#144181 in 728
North Carolina#148251 in 682
Washington#15451 in 822
Minnesota#157111 in 830
Florida#15881 in 675
Louisiana#166161 in 746
Nebraska#17061 in 934
South Carolina#176121 in 979
West Virginia#18291 in 885
Tennessee#183151 in 888
Georgia#189181 in 1,100
Alabama#194151 in 1,055
Kentucky#204121 in 1,136
Ohio#212141 in 1,641
California#22471 in 1,401
Arkansas#23381 in 1,187
Pennsylvania#235191 in 2,410
Wisconsin#24151 in 2,043
Virginia#24871 in 2,024
Missouri#25391 in 1,692
Illinois#281111 in 2,566
Texas#294171 in 1,549
Oklahoma#29951 in 2,020
New York#300141 in 3,528
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Indiana———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
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 1912

girls
#233
375 births · 1 in 1,488 girls
boys
#1,527
11 births · 1 in 39,086 boys

Top girls' names in 1912

  1. #1Mary32,304
  2. #2Helen16,133
  3. #3Dorothy12,645
  4. #4Margaret12,536
  5. #5Ruth11,280
  6. #6Mildred8,764
  7. #7Anna8,586
  8. #8Elizabeth8,527
  9. #9Frances6,680
  10. #10Marie6,642
  11. #233Elma375

Top boys' names in 1912

  1. #1John24,588
  2. #2William19,626
  3. #3James17,644
  4. #4Robert12,836
  5. #5Joseph12,062
  6. #6George11,734
  7. #7Charles11,070
  8. #8Edward7,936
  9. #9Frank7,912
  10. #10Thomas6,087
  11. #1,527Elma11
More about 1912

girls

558,119 girls got a published name in 1912; 1 in 1,488 of them was named Elma, which outranked 93.2% of the 3,445 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #229Selma387
  2. #231Angeline386
  3. #232Helene378
  4. #233Elma375
  5. #233Constance375
  6. #235Amy371
  7. #236Johnnie365
  8. #237Hannah359

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

Biggest movers since 1911
Risers
  1. ↑ 712Jule#1,545 → #833
  2. ↑ 626Beula#1,545 → #919
  3. ↑ 602Noma#1,372 → #770
  4. ↑ 577Walter#1,372 → #795
  5. ↑ 490Izora#1,450 → #960
Fallers
  1. ↓ 912Mabell#932 → #1,844
  2. ↓ 602Justina#875 → #1,477
  3. ↓ 579Irine#898 → #1,477
  4. ↓ 579Sula#898 → #1,477
  5. ↓ 568Cordia#853 → #1,421

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

boys

429,942 boys got a published name in 1912; 1 in 39,086 of them was named Elma, which outranked 47.4% of the 2,905 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #1,417Wash12
  2. #1,417Woodson12
  3. #1,417Yoshio12
  4. #1,527Elma11
  5. #1,527Agustin11
  6. #1,527Aldon11
  7. #1,527Anselmo11
  8. #1,619Adan10
  9. #1,619Adrain10
  10. #1,619Adrien10

Tied with 91 names at #1,527; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1911
Risers
  1. ↑ 864Arlo#1,740 → #876
  2. ↑ 848Guss#1,740 → #892
  3. ↑ 805Courtney#1,740 → #935
  4. ↑ 805Erling#1,740 → #935
  5. ↑ 805Masao#1,740 → #935
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,688Rosendo#856 → #2,544
  2. ↓ 1,063Metro#982 → #2,045
  3. ↓ 1,057Lawyer#689 → #1,746
  4. ↓ 903Hymen#982 → #1,885
  5. ↓ 903Mathias#982 → #1,885

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

See the top 100 for 1912 →