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
Show data for
Peak · boys
1893 · 574 births
Debut · boys
373 births
In top 100 · boys
53 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
129,591
since 1880

Elmer over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201973peak #32, 1893boys
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—#1,222165
2024—#1,155181
2023—#1,346140
2022—#1,191168
2021—#1,207160
2020—#1,308138
2019—#1,118175
2018—#1,261145
2017—#1,213151
2016—#1,141169
2015—#1,205153
2014—#1,130169
2013—#1,144158
2012—#1,237143
2011—#1,046181
2010—#1,005195
2009—#909227
2008—#1,041182
2007—#857244
2006—#889221
2005—#826227
2004—#832214
2003—#649307
2002—#760227
2001—#734237
2000—#850188
1999—#850178
1998—#749215
1997—#711222
1996—#704225
1995—#738212
1994—#772186
1993—#725205
1992—#675236
1991—#699210
1990—#691215
1989—#767167
1988—#727168
1987—#724160
1986—#744149
1985—#752140
1984—#677163
1983—#698150
1982—#708151
1981—#689157
1980#10,3925#681162
1979—#618191
1978—#651166
1977—#639176
1976—#598184
1975#9,0675#590187
1974—#537222
1973—#539209
1972—#502245
1971—#486271
1970—#476286
1969—#450300
1968—#435307
1967#6,0426#434306
1966#6,5645#426319
1965—#405376
1964#6,0096#407389
1963#6,5925#398409
1962#6,5785#385434
1961—#363478
1960#4,4379#342515
1959#4,3009#337529
1958#3,92510#329549
1957#4,5368#289660
1956#5,3256#286656
1955#4,7407#261714
1954#4,6557#271673
1953#3,9559#265688
1952#3,20112#245761
1951#2,93713#226842
1950#3,05212#226809
1949#2,21220#215866
1948#2,49116#203971
1947#2,89813#201997
1946#3,03411#1781,046
1945#2,23715#169969
1944#2,02718#1641,069
1943#2,35215#1541,311
1942#2,04618#1581,228
1941#2,09616#1471,202
1940#2,29713#1441,220
1939#1,51425#1321,327
1938#1,65022#1301,332
1937#1,49325#1201,413
1936#1,18636#1211,412
1935#1,38128#1151,592
1934#1,19036#1081,709
1933#1,33029#1011,787
1932#1,21335#942,058
1931#1,19936#822,265
1930#1,12843#802,476
1929#1,01551#702,697
1928#89667#632,977
1927#1,04254#613,205
1926#96360#613,233
1925#1,06451#613,356
1924#1,12348#573,731
1923#1,15844#573,630
1922#1,05951#543,738
1921#1,00356#484,146
1920#1,07448#454,206
1919#98453#443,982
1918#1,12643#444,373
1917#1,01348#453,812
1916#1,05943#453,936
1915#1,00044#453,802
1914#1,11929#462,878
1913#96131#452,323
1912#97827#471,840
1911#93222#48894
1910#1,06917#48760
1909#76128#45687
1908#82922#42689
1907#1,3849#44616
1906#1,22910#42598
1905#79721#41602
1904#1,09211#39620
1903#1,02712#40556
1902#1,3208#40574
1901#1,1369#38520
1900#88518#38699
1899#1,3946#37514
1898#96313#40583
1897#1,1678#34587
1896#1,04710#36576
1895#1,5925#34610
1894#90512#37575
1893#86512#32574
1892#90811#36592
1891#1,0068#36508
1890#9409#38528
1889#1,1476#34557
1888—#39527
1887—#36467
1886—#35485
1885#7459#40443
1884—#35523
1883—#40423
1882—#38441
1881—#38388
1880—#41373
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 1973

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedMNIllinois: #753 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 13,006 boysILWisconsin: #367 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,883 boysWIMichigan: #440 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 6,573 boysMINew York: #692 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 11,434 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedIAIndiana: #441 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 6,622 boysINOhio: #497 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 8,563 boysOHPennsylvania: #260 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 3,086 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #603 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 8,486 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNEMissouri: #382 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,713 boysMOKentucky: #252 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,343 boysKYWest Virginia: #220 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,174 boysWVVirginia: #351 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,946 boysVAMaryland: #297 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,073 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedDEArizona: #401 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,440 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedARTennessee: #409 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 5,218 boysTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #369 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,631 boysOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Elmer, so not publishedHITexas: #777 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 11,635 boysTXFlorida: #670 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 9,901 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. West Virginia#220 · 1 in 2,174
  2. Kentucky#252 · 1 in 2,343
  3. Pennsylvania#260 · 1 in 3,086
  4. Maryland#297 · 1 in 3,073
  5. Virginia#351 · 1 in 3,946

Best ever in a state: #12 in Nevada, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
West Virginia#22061 in 2,174
Kentucky#252111 in 2,343
Pennsylvania#260241 in 3,086
Maryland#29771 in 3,073
Virginia#35181 in 3,946
Wisconsin#36751 in 5,883
Oklahoma#36951 in 3,631
Missouri#38271 in 4,713
Arizona#40151 in 3,440
Tennessee#40961 in 5,218
Michigan#440101 in 6,573
Indiana#44161 in 6,622
Ohio#49791 in 8,563
California#603171 in 8,486
Florida#67051 in 9,901
New York#692101 in 11,434
Illinois#75361 in 13,006
Texas#77791 in 11,635
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arkansas———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Louisiana———
Maine———
Massachusetts———
Minnesota———
Mississippi———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
Washington———
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
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s4,627#34 (1889)#38
1890s5,647#32 (1893)#36
1900s6,161#38 (1900)#41
1910s28,600#44 (1918)#46
1920s34,919#45 (1920)#58
1930s17,371#80 (1930)#108
1940s10,879#144 (1940)#173
1950s6,881#226 (1951)#274
1960s3,833#342 (1960)#405
1970s2,137#476 (1970)#564
1980s1,567#677 (1984)#717
1990s2,104#675 (1992)#731
2000s2,274#649 (2003)#835
2010s1,639#1,005 (2010)#1,150
2020s952#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 1973

boys
#539
209 births · 1 in 7,457 boys

Top boys' names in 1973

  1. #1Michael67,797
  2. #2Christopher48,313
  3. #3Jason46,683
  4. #4James42,836
  5. #5David41,082
  6. #6John39,165
  7. #7Robert38,698
  8. #8Brian35,686
  9. #9William28,018
  10. #10Matthew24,531
  11. #539Elmer209
More about 1973

boys

1,558,576 boys got a published name in 1973; 1 in 7,457 of them was named Elmer, which outranked 90.8% of the 5,877 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmer
  1. #536Rudolph215
  2. #537Elijah212
  3. #537Reuben212
  4. #539Elmer209
  5. #540Carlo208
  6. #540Freddy208
  7. #542Bob207
Biggest movers since 1972
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,348Vashon#3,152 → #804
  2. ↑ 1,405Jory#2,158 → #753
  3. ↑ 348Pernell#1,262 → #914
  4. ↑ 345Enoch#1,307 → #962
  5. ↑ 273Tarik#1,177 → #904
Fallers
  1. ↓ 669Jabbar#917 → #1,586
  2. ↓ 361Wes#993 → #1,354
  3. ↓ 326Paris#797 → #1,123
  4. ↓ 284Christophe#984 → #1,268
  5. ↓ 272Bennett#851 → #1,123

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

See the top 100 for 1973 →