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
- Peak · girls
- 1901 · 189 births
- Debut · girls
- 28 births
- In top 100 · girls
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 21,703since 1880
Elma over time
Rank among girls' names. Elma has never cracked the top 200 here.
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 | #4,352 | 32 | — | |
| 2024 | #4,560 | 30 | — | |
| 2023 | #5,390 | 23 | — | |
| 2022 | #5,172 | 25 | — | |
| 2021 | #4,326 | 32 | — | |
| 2020 | #6,325 | 18 | — | |
| 2019 | #4,909 | 27 | — | |
| 2018 | #4,357 | 32 | — | |
| 2017 | #4,384 | 32 | — | |
| 2016 | #4,990 | 27 | — | |
| 2015 | #4,488 | 31 | — | |
| 2014 | #5,025 | 27 | — | |
| 2013 | #5,644 | 23 | — | |
| 2012 | #4,216 | 35 | — | |
| 2011 | #4,353 | 33 | — | |
| 2010 | #4,608 | 31 | — | |
| 2009 | #4,107 | 37 | — | |
| 2008 | #4,179 | 37 | — | |
| 2007 | #3,983 | 39 | — | |
| 2006 | #3,992 | 37 | — | |
| 2005 | #3,257 | 47 | — | |
| 2004 | #3,819 | 37 | — | |
| 2003 | #2,956 | 51 | — | |
| 2002 | #3,394 | 40 | — | |
| 2001 | #2,963 | 48 | — | |
| 2000 | #3,453 | 38 | — | |
| 1999 | #3,443 | 36 | — | |
| 1998 | #5,583 | 18 | — | |
| 1997 | #6,844 | 13 | — | |
| 1996 | #4,883 | 20 | — | |
| 1995 | #5,019 | 19 | — | |
| 1994 | #5,445 | 17 | — | |
| 1993 | #5,419 | 17 | — | |
| 1992 | #5,484 | 17 | — | |
| 1991 | #6,976 | 12 | — | |
| 1990 | #6,131 | 14 | — | |
| 1989 | #4,358 | 21 | — | |
| 1988 | #4,496 | 19 | — | |
| 1987 | #6,788 | 10 | — | |
| 1986 | #5,459 | 13 | — | |
| 1985 | #3,730 | 22 | — | |
| 1984 | #3,144 | 27 | — | |
| 1983 | #3,949 | 19 | — | |
| 1982 | #3,530 | 23 | — | |
| 1981 | #3,859 | 20 | — | |
| 1980 | #3,609 | 22 | — | |
| 1979 | #3,147 | 26 | — | |
| 1978 | #2,680 | 31 | — | |
| 1977 | #3,267 | 23 | — | |
| 1976 | #2,439 | 33 | — | |
| 1975 | #2,612 | 29 | — | |
| 1974 | #2,254 | 35 | — | |
| 1973 | #2,309 | 33 | — | |
| 1972 | #1,975 | 41 | — | |
| 1971 | #1,937 | 44 | — | |
| 1970 | #2,267 | 34 | — | |
| 1969 | #1,784 | 47 | — | |
| 1968 | #1,625 | 50 | — | |
| 1967 | #1,617 | 49 | — | |
| 1966 | #1,632 | 47 | — | |
| 1965 | #1,350 | 66 | — | |
| 1964 | #1,433 | 62 | — | |
| 1963 | #1,262 | 76 | — | |
| 1962 | #1,283 | 74 | — | |
| 1961 | #1,305 | 72 | — | |
| 1960 | #1,020 | 111 | — | |
| 1959 | #1,130 | 89 | — | |
| 1958 | #1,000 | 108 | — | |
| 1957 | #1,072 | 94 | #3,024 | 8 |
| 1956 | #1,007 | 103 | — | |
| 1955 | #978 | 104 | — | |
| 1954 | #897 | 114 | — | |
| 1953 | #809 | 129 | — | |
| 1952 | #791 | 130 | — | |
| 1951 | #794 | 125 | #3,364 | 6 |
| 1950 | #717 | 143 | #3,329 | 6 |
| 1949 | #683 | 150 | #2,802 | 8 |
| 1948 | #661 | 159 | #3,010 | 7 |
| 1947 | #643 | 167 | #3,733 | 5 |
| 1946 | #624 | 162 | — | |
| 1945 | #547 | 179 | #3,338 | 5 |
| 1944 | #576 | 162 | #1,988 | 13 |
| 1943 | #517 | 208 | — | |
| 1942 | #495 | 226 | #2,712 | 8 |
| 1941 | #501 | 193 | #1,997 | 13 |
| 1940 | #470 | 204 | #2,671 | 8 |
| 1939 | #469 | 204 | #2,288 | 10 |
| 1938 | #428 | 244 | #2,185 | 11 |
| 1937 | #436 | 225 | #1,756 | 16 |
| 1936 | #396 | 258 | #2,301 | 10 |
| 1935 | #393 | 267 | #2,529 | 9 |
| 1934 | #375 | 285 | #2,393 | 10 |
| 1933 | #369 | 297 | #2,542 | 9 |
| 1932 | #373 | 299 | #2,849 | 8 |
| 1931 | #339 | 352 | #2,864 | 8 |
| 1930 | #345 | 362 | #2,781 | 9 |
| 1929 | #341 | 360 | #2,317 | 12 |
| 1928 | #321 | 424 | #1,822 | 18 |
| 1927 | #308 | 465 | #1,796 | 19 |
| 1926 | #313 | 449 | #1,605 | 22 |
| 1925 | #301 | 487 | #1,935 | 17 |
| 1924 | #290 | 522 | #2,229 | 14 |
| 1923 | #289 | 494 | #1,874 | 18 |
| 1922 | #268 | 579 | #2,347 | 13 |
| 1921 | #271 | 610 | #1,904 | 18 |
| 1920 | #266 | 600 | #1,747 | 20 |
| 1919 | #262 | 594 | #2,063 | 15 |
| 1918 | #249 | 659 | #2,073 | 15 |
| 1917 | #256 | 580 | #2,732 | 9 |
| 1916 | #246 | 622 | #1,459 | 23 |
| 1915 | #245 | 575 | #2,184 | 12 |
| 1914 | #242 | 484 | #2,101 | 10 |
| 1913 | #245 | 388 | #1,497 | 13 |
| 1912 | #233 | 375 | #1,527 | 11 |
| 1911 | #248 | 252 | #1,537 | 6 |
| 1910 | #234 | 273 | — | |
| 1909 | #227 | 248 | — | |
| 1908 | #234 | 208 | — | |
| 1907 | #219 | 228 | — | |
| 1906 | #227 | 193 | — | |
| 1905 | #243 | 171 | #1,233 | 5 |
| 1904 | #248 | 160 | — | |
| 1903 | #235 | 162 | — | |
| 1902 | #210 | 199 | — | |
| 1901 | #209 | 189 | — | |
| 1900 | #235 | 182 | — | |
| 1899 | #238 | 136 | — | |
| 1898 | #221 | 172 | — | |
| 1897 | #218 | 156 | — | |
| 1896 | #219 | 160 | #982 | 6 |
| 1895 | #234 | 137 | — | |
| 1894 | #237 | 127 | — | |
| 1893 | #230 | 129 | — | |
| 1892 | #248 | 112 | — | |
| 1891 | #223 | 118 | — | |
| 1890 | #234 | 108 | — | |
| 1889 | #235 | 98 | — | |
| 1888 | #234 | 97 | — | |
| 1887 | #246 | 73 | — | |
| 1886 | #222 | 82 | — | |
| 1885 | #227 | 76 | — | |
| 1884 | #253 | 59 | — | |
| 1883 | #274 | 42 | — | |
| 1882 | #250 | 47 | — | |
| 1881 | #247 | 41 | — | |
| 1880 | #294 | 28 | — | |
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 1935
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Alabama#237 · 1 in 1,393
- Kansas#259 · 1 in 1,832
- Virginia#259 · 1 in 2,080
- Arkansas#266 · 1 in 1,579
- Texas#275 · 1 in 1,494
Best ever in a state: #47 in Idaho, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | #237 | 21 | 1 in 1,393 |
| Kansas | #259 | 7 | 1 in 1,832 |
| Virginia | #259 | 11 | 1 in 2,080 |
| Arkansas | #266 | 12 | 1 in 1,579 |
| Texas | #275 | 38 | 1 in 1,494 |
| Mississippi | #278 | 13 | 1 in 1,697 |
| West Virginia | #290 | 8 | 1 in 2,303 |
| Georgia | #292 | 14 | 1 in 2,162 |
| North Carolina | #294 | 14 | 1 in 2,613 |
| Louisiana | #308 | 11 | 1 in 1,869 |
| South Carolina | #319 | 8 | 1 in 2,562 |
| Ohio | #332 | 11 | 1 in 4,160 |
| Missouri | #334 | 8 | 1 in 3,293 |
| Kentucky | #337 | 9 | 1 in 2,956 |
| Oklahoma | #338 | 9 | 1 in 2,441 |
| Pennsylvania | #381 | 12 | 1 in 5,964 |
| Tennessee | #397 | 6 | 1 in 4,557 |
| California | #502 | 6 | 1 in 5,820 |
| New York | #605 | 6 | 1 in 13,800 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Illinois | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| 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
- 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)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1901 at #209 (189 births)
- Births halved by 1957, 56 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 77 yrs · run 1880–1955
- 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%)
- 23.0% of all girls named Elma (4,990) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 643 | #222 (1886) | #248 |
| 1890s | 1,355 | #218 (1897) | #230 |
| 1900s | 1,940 | #209 (1901) | #229 |
| 1910s | 4,802 | #233 (1912) | #246 |
| 1920s | 4,990 | #266 (1920) | #297 |
| 1930s | 2,793 | #339 (1931) | #392 |
| 1940s | 1,810 | #470 (1940) | #572 |
| 1950s | 1,139 | #717 (1950) | #920 |
| 1960s | 654 | #1,020 (1960) | #1,431 |
| 1970s | 329 | #1,937 (1971) | #2,489 |
| 1980s | 196 | #3,144 (1984) | #4,292 |
| 1990s | 183 | #3,443 (1999) | #5,523 |
| 2000s | 411 | #2,956 (2003) | #3,610 |
| 2010s | 298 | #4,216 (2012) | #4,697 |
| 2020s | 160 | #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 1935
Top girls' names in 1935
Top boys' names in 1935
More about 1935
girls
1,048,577 girls got a published name in 1935; 1 in 3,927 of them was named Elma, which outranked 92.0% of the 4,893 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- ↑ 2,736Norita#3,449 → #713
- ↑ 1,073Shelby#1,913 → #840
- ↑ 672Darla#1,344 → #672
- ↑ 396Shirleyann#1,292 → #896
- ↑ 375Loris#1,236 → #861
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,041,351 boys got a published name in 1935; 1 in 115,706 of them was named Elma, which outranked 39.0% of the 4,146 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #2,396Williard10
- #2,396Windle10
- #2,396Zeke10
- #2,529Elma9
- #2,529Abran9
- #2,529Aime9
- #2,529Alberta9
- #2,719Abie8
- #2,719Abron8
- #2,719Alen8
Tied with 189 names at #2,529; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.