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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201923peak #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 1923

  • 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: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMNIllinois: #427 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 8,169 boysILWisconsin: #339 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,746 boysWIMichigan: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedMINew York: #547 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 15,715 boysNYMassachusetts: #344 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 6,894 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedORNevada: 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: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedIAIndiana: #223 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,156 boysINOhio: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: #431 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 11,045 boysPANew Jersey: #304 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,907 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #382 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,224 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedNEMissouri: #204 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,622 boysMOKentucky: #201 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,359 boysKYWest Virginia: #271 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,152 boysWVVirginia: #209 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,593 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: #273 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,714 boysKSArkansas: #157 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 842 boysARTennessee: #296 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,688 boysTNNorth Carolina: #317 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 3,034 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #175 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,068 boysOKLouisiana: #172 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 953 boysLAMississippi: #191 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,172 boysMSAlabama: #347 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,191 boysALGeorgia: #377 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,035 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Elmo, so not publishedHITexas: #205 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 1,130 boysTXFlorida: #183 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,135 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Arkansas#157 · 1 in 842
  2. Louisiana#172 · 1 in 953
  3. Oklahoma#175 · 1 in 1,068
  4. Florida#183 · 1 in 1,135
  5. Mississippi#191 · 1 in 1,172

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arkansas#157211 in 842
Louisiana#172201 in 953
Oklahoma#175211 in 1,068
Florida#18391 in 1,135
Mississippi#191161 in 1,172
Kentucky#201191 in 1,359
Missouri#204181 in 1,622
Texas#205461 in 1,130
Virginia#209151 in 1,593
Indiana#223121 in 2,156
West Virginia#27181 in 2,152
Kansas#27361 in 2,714
Tennessee#29691 in 2,688
New Jersey#30451 in 5,907
North Carolina#317111 in 3,034
Wisconsin#33951 in 4,746
Massachusetts#34451 in 6,894
Alabama#34781 in 3,191
Georgia#37771 in 4,035
California#38281 in 4,224
Illinois#42771 in 8,169
Pennsylvania#43181 in 11,045
New York#54761 in 15,715
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Maine———
Maryland———
Michigan———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Ohio———
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 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 1923

girls
#3,350
9 births · 1 in 134,041 girls
boys
#311
338 births · 1 in 3,243 boys

Top girls' names in 1923

  1. #1Mary71,634
  2. #2Dorothy39,043
  3. #3Helen31,486
  4. #4Margaret26,134
  5. #5Betty25,989
  6. #6Ruth23,637
  7. #7Virginia18,325
  8. #8Mildred15,989
  9. #9Elizabeth15,459
  10. #10Frances14,881
  11. #3,350Elmo9

Top boys' names in 1923

  1. #1John57,467
  2. #2Robert56,111
  3. #3William52,136
  4. #4James50,462
  5. #5Charles28,966
  6. #6George27,025
  7. #7Joseph25,561
  8. #8Edward20,597
  9. #9Richard18,887
  10. #10Donald16,433
  11. #311Elmo338
More about 1923

girls

1,206,366 girls got a published name in 1923; 1 in 134,041 of them was named Elmo, which outranked 41.6% of the 5,739 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmo
  1. #3,125Wilbur10
  2. #3,125Zenaida10
  3. #3,125Zephyr10
  4. #3,350Elmo9
  5. #3,350Adalia9
  6. #3,350Adena9
  7. #3,350Adra9
  8. #3,641Aaron8
  9. #3,641Ader8
  10. #3,641Adlene8

Tied with 290 names at #3,350; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1922
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,834Eris#2,291 → #457
  2. ↑ 619Penny#1,508 → #889
  3. ↑ 317Laurene#1,309 → #992
  4. ↑ 310Cruz#1,103 → #793
  5. ↑ 306Dorene#1,207 → #901
Fallers
  1. ↓ 321Veva#962 → #1,283
  2. ↓ 318Arlie#949 → #1,267
  3. ↓ 305Gaynell#978 → #1,283
  4. ↓ 303Trinidad#449 → #752
  5. ↓ 300Laurine#897 → #1,197

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

boys

1,096,102 boys got a published name in 1923; 1 in 3,243 of them was named Elmo, which outranked 93.7% of the 4,904 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 32.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Elmo
  1. #308Pedro341
  2. #308Thurman341
  3. #310Adrian340
  4. #311Elmo338
  5. #312Wade337
  6. #313Cleveland336
  7. #314Reginald335
Biggest movers since 1922
Risers
  1. ↑ 403Marcos#1,333 → #930
  2. ↑ 341Armin#1,333 → #992
  3. ↑ 309Betty#1,222 → #913
  4. ↑ 309Godfrey#1,222 → #913
  5. ↑ 308Val#1,181 → #873
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,021Harden#999 → #2,020
  2. ↓ 472Buel#850 → #1,322
  3. ↓ 420Trinidad#485 → #905
  4. ↓ 304Gorden#722 → #1,026
  5. ↓ 288Joy#840 → #1,128

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

See the top 100 for 1923 →