Boys' name · since 1886
Elby
261 babies named Elby in U.S. Social Security records since 1886, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #11,419 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 261
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
Elby sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 261 recorded since 1886.
Elby has 261 recorded births among boys since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2021.
- #11,419 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 261 born since 1886
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elby ranks #11,419 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 261 born since 1886, peaking in the 1920s.
- #11,419 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 261
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
Elby's 261 recorded births place it above 74.85% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Kentucky.
Elby's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Elby's SSA record in two at 1933 and the more recent half accounts for 40% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 60%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1927, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1920 peak of 18, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Elby popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2021
- Peak year (1920)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 136 years of records
Elby by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (85 births, 33% of the file).
1920s was Elby's strongest decade.
85 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Elby births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
45 births
- 1920s
1920s
85 births
- 1930s
1930s
54 births
- 1940s
1940s
42 births
- 1950s 11
1950s
11 births
- 1960s 13
1960s
13 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 85 births (33% of all-time use).
Elby by state
Where Elby concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 5 | 1.9% |
5 of 261 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Elby's data
- Elby's decade-level peak was the 1920s (85 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Elbys (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Elby
Nearby Names Like Elby
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elby
Compare Elby side by side: Elby vs Elbert Elby vs Elbridge Elby vs Elba
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Elby: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1920)
Similar record span (~135 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1886–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Elby draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.