Elmo

Last seen for girls in 1937 at #4,255 · Last seen for boys in 2023 at #12,239
Given to boys 97.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1909 · 80 births
Debut · boys
15 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
10,091
since 1880

Elmo over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Elmo has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201918peak #247, 1909boys
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——
2024——
2023—#12,2395
2022——
2021—#10,7996
2020——
2019——
2018——
2017——
2016——
2015——
2014——
2013—#12,1365
2012——
2011——
2010——
2009—#12,4915
2008——
2007——
2006——
2005——
2004——
2003—#8,6437
2002——
2001—#6,01311
2000——
1999—#8,7046
1998—#7,5607
1997—#6,6188
1996—#7,1367
1995——
1994—#3,59618
1993—#6,2288
1992—#5,6609
1991—#4,47612
1990—#4,99310
1989—#6,9416
1988—#3,52314
1987—#3,33914
1986—#3,26814
1985—#3,59912
1984—#2,95615
1983—#2,57718
1982—#3,28213
1981—#2,77916
1980—#4,1349
1979—#2,89715
1978—#2,79915
1977—#2,55617
1976—#1,82827
1975—#2,20520
1974—#2,27718
1973—#2,12419
1972—#1,64828
1971—#2,12619
1970—#1,79424
1969—#1,35135
1968—#1,50627
1967—#1,36431
1966—#1,40130
1965—#1,45628
1964—#1,12646
1963—#1,25538
1962—#1,21541
1961—#1,07852
1960—#1,13148
1959—#99360
1958—#1,04953
1957—#92866
1956—#94063
1955—#87471
1954—#80081
1953—#85870
1952—#87065
1951—#74986
1950—#78476
1949—#81471
1948—#68894
1947—#692100
1946—#64899
1945—#68478
1944—#569116
1943—#576121
1942—#550125
1941—#559115
1940—#582103
1939—#537113
1938—#495137
1937#4,2555#508128
1936#3,7016#469144
1935—#466148
1934—#487138
1933#4,2185#450150
1932—#448158
1931—#491137
1930—#433183
1929#2,92110#453170
1928#4,1956#383235
1927—#387235
1926#3,04610#374243
1925#2,19117#356273
1924#3,3939#328313
1923#3,3509#311338
1922#2,61213#323317
1921#3,16410#293370
1920#2,73112#279397
1919#2,51513#304324
1918#2,82211#301334
1917#1,92318#265366
1916#1,80519#261363
1915#2,38412#301286
1914#2,8767#282247
1913#1,46516#277197
1912#1,54013#271169
1911#1,7928#251104
1910#2,3985#26386
1909#1,7637#24780
1908—#30751
1907—#27358
1906#1,7276#28150
1905—#41027
1904—#40127
1903—#37027
1902—#38027
1901—#33429
1900—#34340
1899—#41520
1898—#33932
1897—#41121
1896—#40723
1895—#36826
1894—#59412
1893—#45916
1892—#54714
1891—#45615
1890—#56612
1889—#52513
1888—#46417
1887—#6798
1886—#54012
1885—#49814
1884—#54712
1883—#44816
1882—#41619
1881—#5959
1880—#46515
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Elmo was already there! It came in at #465, and was given to 15 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1995, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.

Where Elmo is popular in 1918

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #216 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,357 boysNDMinnesota: #296 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,910 boysMNIllinois: #337 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 4,965 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMINew York: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedRIOregon: #139 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 839 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedSDIowa: #343 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,041 boysIAIndiana: #307 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,898 boysINOhio: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: #510 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 14,401 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #308 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,091 boysCAUtah: #91 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 362 boysUTColorado: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNEMissouri: #209 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,574 boysMOKentucky: #147 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 961 boysKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedWVVirginia: #175 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,295 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNMKansas: #303 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,946 boysKSArkansas: #190 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,081 boysARTennessee: #318 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,127 boysTNNorth Carolina: #217 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,724 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #186 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,091 boysOKLouisiana: #123 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 555 boysLAMississippi: #181 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,113 boysMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedALGeorgia: #320 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,924 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedHITexas: #221 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 1,287 boysTXFlorida: #221 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,466 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Utah#91 · 1 in 362
  2. Louisiana#123 · 1 in 555
  3. Oregon#139 · 1 in 839
  4. Kentucky#147 · 1 in 961
  5. Virginia#175 · 1 in 1,295

Best ever in a state: #63 in Utah, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Utah#91131 in 362
Louisiana#123311 in 555
Oregon#13961 in 839
Kentucky#147241 in 961
Virginia#175171 in 1,295
Mississippi#181161 in 1,113
Oklahoma#186181 in 1,091
Arkansas#190151 in 1,081
Missouri#209171 in 1,574
North Dakota#21651 in 1,357
North Carolina#217171 in 1,724
Florida#22161 in 1,466
Texas#221331 in 1,287
Minnesota#29671 in 2,910
Kansas#30351 in 2,946
Indiana#30761 in 3,898
California#30871 in 3,091
Tennessee#31871 in 3,127
Georgia#320101 in 2,924
Illinois#337111 in 4,965
Iowa#34351 in 4,041
Pennsylvania#51061 in 14,401
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Michigan———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
New York———
Ohio———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Vermont———
Washington———
West Virginia———
Wisconsin———
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 Elmo
Momentum · boys
Faded out
  • Not published in 2025; last seen 2023
  • Biggest jump: 226 spots in 1895 (#594 → #368)
  • Biggest drop: 139 spots in 1887 (#540 → #679)
Rise & fade · boys
29 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1909 at #247 (80 births)
  • Births halved by 1963, 54 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 79 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 79 yrs · run 1880–1957
Share of babies · boys
1 in 2,050
  • Highest: 1 in 2,050 boys born in 1909 were named Elmo (0.05%)
  • Latest: 1 in 342,115 boys born in 2023 (0.00%)
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 28.6% of all boys named Elmo (2,891) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s135#416 (1882)#518
1890s191#339 (1898)#456
1900s416#247 (1909)#335
1910s2,476#251 (1911)#278
1920s2,891#279 (1920)#349
1930s1,436#433 (1930)#478
1940s1,022#550 (1942)#636
1950s691#749 (1951)#885
1960s376#1,078 (1961)#1,288
1970s202#1,648 (1972)#2,225
1980s131#2,577 (1983)#3,640
1990s85#3,596 (1994)#6,108
2000s23#6,013 (2001)#9,049
2010s5#12,136 (2013)#12,136
2020s11#10,799 (2021)#11,519

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.

Elmo in 1918

girls
#2,822
11 births · 1 in 105,239 girls
boys
#301
334 births · 1 in 3,034 boys

Top girls' names in 1918

  1. #1Mary67,365
  2. #2Helen36,148
  3. #3Dorothy32,030
  4. #4Margaret27,139
  5. #5Ruth25,535
  6. #6Mildred17,258
  7. #7Virginia16,421
  8. #8Frances16,132
  9. #9Elizabeth15,853
  10. #10Anna15,666
  11. #2,822Elmo11

Top boys' names in 1918

  1. #1John56,558
  2. #2William45,291
  3. #3James42,115
  4. #4Robert40,619
  5. #5Charles26,921
  6. #6George26,318
  7. #7Joseph26,261
  8. #8Edward19,489
  9. #9Frank17,018
  10. #10Thomas13,910
  11. #301Elmo334
More about 1918

girls

1,157,631 girls got a published name in 1918; 1 in 105,239 of them was named Elmo, which outranked 49.5% of the 5,585 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmo
  1. #2,674Zera12
  2. #2,674Zofia12
  3. #2,674Zoila12
  4. #2,822Elmo11
  5. #2,822Ader11
  6. #2,822Adine11
  7. #2,822Adra11
  8. #3,024Adalene10
  9. #3,024Adina10
  10. #3,024Adria10

Tied with 201 names at #2,822; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1917
Risers
  1. ↑ 547Jesse#1,507 → #960
  2. ↑ 494Liberty#1,079 → #585
  3. ↑ 389Marilynn#1,337 → #948
  4. ↑ 312Margueritte#1,281 → #969
  5. ↑ 306Syble#807 → #501
Fallers
  1. ↓ 447Valentine#964 → #1,411
  2. ↓ 428Ottie#952 → #1,380
  3. ↓ 354Delora#923 → #1,277
  4. ↓ 318Georgene#896 → #1,214
  5. ↓ 299Clifford#904 → #1,203

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

boys

1,013,480 boys got a published name in 1918; 1 in 3,034 of them was named Elmo, which outranked 93.7% of the 4,813 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 31.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmo
  1. #297Wilmer344
  2. #299Laverne343
  3. #300Ollie336
  4. #301Elmo334
  5. #302Alan333
  6. #302Ed333
  7. #302Hyman333
Biggest movers since 1917
Risers
  1. ↑ 600Quinton#1,092 → #492
  2. ↑ 542Pershing#876 → #334
  3. ↑ 480Quentin#723 → #243
  4. ↑ 440Issac#1,264 → #824
  5. ↑ 339Furman#1,092 → #753
Fallers
  1. ↓ 473Bernhard#900 → #1,373
  2. ↓ 424Edson#919 → #1,343
  3. ↓ 394Gasper#919 → #1,313
  4. ↓ 352Berton#934 → #1,286
  5. ↓ 346Ishmael#997 → #1,343

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

See the top 100 for 1918 →