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 1938
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Mississippi#241 · 1 in 1,410
- New Mexico#242 · 1 in 1,109
- West Virginia#244 · 1 in 1,587
- Kansas#244 · 1 in 1,757
- Oklahoma#253 · 1 in 1,452
Best ever in a state: #47 in Idaho, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #241 | 16 | 1 in 1,410 |
| New Mexico | #242 | 5 | 1 in 1,109 |
| Kansas | #244 | 7 | 1 in 1,757 |
| West Virginia | #244 | 12 | 1 in 1,587 |
| Oklahoma | #253 | 14 | 1 in 1,452 |
| Tennessee | #269 | 14 | 1 in 1,938 |
| Virginia | #287 | 10 | 1 in 2,383 |
| Missouri | #288 | 10 | 1 in 2,683 |
| Alabama | #317 | 12 | 1 in 2,444 |
| Florida | #324 | 6 | 1 in 2,262 |
| North Carolina | #326 | 12 | 1 in 3,080 |
| Texas | #326 | 29 | 1 in 1,990 |
| Kentucky | #327 | 10 | 1 in 2,823 |
| Georgia | #361 | 9 | 1 in 3,424 |
| Louisiana | #368 | 8 | 1 in 2,778 |
| South Carolina | #391 | 5 | 1 in 4,100 |
| Pennsylvania | #410 | 12 | 1 in 6,197 |
| Ohio | #490 | 6 | 1 in 8,512 |
| New York | #540 | 8 | 1 in 10,694 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| California | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Illinois | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| 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 1938
Top girls' names in 1938
Top boys' names in 1938
More about 1938
girls
1,103,456 girls got a published name in 1938; 1 in 4,522 of them was named Elma, which outranked 91.4% of the 4,995 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
boys
1,109,147 boys got a published name in 1938; 1 in 100,832 of them was named Elma, which outranked 45.8% of the 4,035 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #2,084Woodroe12
- #2,084Yancy12
- #2,084Ysidro12
- #2,185Elma11
- #2,185Adalberto11
- #2,185Ancel11
- #2,185Angela11
- #2,326Ada10
- #2,326Afton10
- #2,326Alger10
Tied with 140 names at #2,185; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.