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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201919peak #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 1919

  • 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: #211 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,381 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedIDMontana: #177 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 902 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #179 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,016 girlsNDMinnesota: #219 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,643 girlsMNIllinois: #269 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 2,476 girlsILWisconsin: #276 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,851 girlsWIMichigan: #174 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 1,168 girlsMINew York: #298 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 3,819 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedRIOregon: #125 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 529 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedNVWyoming: #94 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 281 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #159 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 778 girlsSDIowa: #202 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,369 girlsIAIndiana: #195 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,427 girlsINOhio: #255 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 2,515 girlsOHPennsylvania: #231 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 2,389 girlsPANew Jersey: #258 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,402 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #354 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,911 girlsCAUtah: #124 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 470 girlsUTColorado: #156 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 703 girlsCONebraska: #243 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,665 girlsNEMissouri: #264 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,931 girlsMOKentucky: #257 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,802 girlsKYWest Virginia: #202 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,199 girlsWVVirginia: #199 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,306 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: #178 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 966 girlsKSArkansas: #318 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,029 girlsARTennessee: #277 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,990 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #154 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 838 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #207 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,392 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #240 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,388 girlsOKLouisiana: #161 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 679 girlsLAMississippi: #209 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,151 girlsMSAlabama: #408 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,853 girlsALGeorgia: #218 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 1,376 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Elma, so not publishedHITexas: #408 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 2,593 girlsTXFlorida: #219 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,123 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Wyoming#94 · 1 in 281
  2. Utah#124 · 1 in 470
  3. Oregon#125 · 1 in 529
  4. North Carolina#154 · 1 in 838
  5. Colorado#156 · 1 in 703

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Wyoming#9451 in 281
Utah#124101 in 470
Oregon#125101 in 529
North Carolina#154431 in 838
Colorado#156111 in 703
South Dakota#15981 in 778
Louisiana#161321 in 679
Michigan#174291 in 1,168
Montana#17761 in 902
Kansas#178161 in 966
North Dakota#17971 in 1,016
Indiana#195171 in 1,427
Virginia#199211 in 1,306
Iowa#202151 in 1,369
West Virginia#202141 in 1,199
South Carolina#207171 in 1,392
Mississippi#209191 in 1,151
Washington#21171 in 1,381
Georgia#218271 in 1,376
Florida#21991 in 1,123
Minnesota#219131 in 1,643
Pennsylvania#231391 in 2,389
Oklahoma#240161 in 1,388
Nebraska#24371 in 1,665
Ohio#255201 in 2,515
Kentucky#257151 in 1,802
New Jersey#25891 in 3,402
Missouri#264151 in 1,931
Illinois#269231 in 2,476
Wisconsin#27681 in 2,851
Tennessee#277131 in 1,990
New York#298251 in 3,819
Arkansas#318101 in 2,029
California#35481 in 2,911
Alabama#40881 in 3,853
Texas#408201 in 2,593
Alaska———
Arizona———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
Rhode Island———
Vermont———

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 1919

girls
#262
594 births · 1 in 1,903 girls
boys
#2,063
15 births · 1 in 65,341 boys

Top girls' names in 1919

  1. #1Mary65,836
  2. #2Helen33,706
  3. #3Dorothy31,733
  4. #4Margaret26,238
  5. #5Ruth24,562
  6. #6Mildred17,300
  7. #7Virginia15,636
  8. #8Elizabeth15,287
  9. #9Frances15,106
  10. #10Anna14,498
  11. #262Elma594

Top boys' names in 1919

  1. #1John53,522
  2. #2William43,969
  3. #3James42,392
  4. #4Robert41,025
  5. #5Charles25,192
  6. #6George25,170
  7. #7Joseph24,266
  8. #8Edward18,536
  9. #9Frank15,701
  10. #10Thomas13,434
  11. #2,063Elma15
More about 1919

girls

1,130,117 girls got a published name in 1919; 1 in 1,903 of them was named Elma, which outranked 95.3% of the 5,559 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #259Bettie608
  2. #260Eugenia606
  3. #261Sophia604
  4. #262Elma594
  5. #263Elinor589
  6. #263Janice589
  7. #265Elnora576
Biggest movers since 1918
Risers
  1. ↑ 851Gregoria#1,805 → #954
  2. ↑ 443Concha#1,333 → #890
  3. ↑ 390Arlena#1,299 → #909
  4. ↑ 353Marina#1,255 → #902
  5. ↑ 333Roselle#1,333 → #1,000
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,019Liberty#585 → #1,604
  2. ↓ 840Victory#809 → #1,649
  3. ↓ 567Karen#960 → #1,527
  4. ↓ 404Zena#989 → #1,393
  5. ↓ 359Malvina#989 → #1,348

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

boys

980,122 boys got a published name in 1919; 1 in 65,341 of them was named Elma, which outranked 57.1% of the 4,810 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elma
  1. #1,973Woodson16
  2. #1,973Zell16
  3. #1,973Zygmund16
  4. #2,063Elma15
  5. #2,063Abelardo15
  6. #2,063Abran15
  7. #2,063Adan15
  8. #2,152Achille14
  9. #2,152Addie14
  10. #2,152Arthor14

Tied with 88 names at #2,063; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1918
Risers
  1. ↑ 446Quinten#1,313 → #867
  2. ↑ 432Dempsey#1,012 → #580
  3. ↑ 341Winton#1,231 → #890
  4. ↑ 334Donnie#1,211 → #877
  5. ↑ 332Edsel#1,062 → #730
Fallers
  1. ↓ 2,008Foch#869 → #2,877
  2. ↓ 582Carmel#949 → #1,531
  3. ↓ 403Eligah#918 → #1,321
  4. ↓ 398Nels#809 → #1,207
  5. ↓ 355Myer#966 → #1,321

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

See the top 100 for 1919 →