Total births
261
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.
- 261
- total births
- 1886–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 33%
- born in that 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.
- 261 total births
- 1886–2021 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 33% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
261 boys have been named Elby since 1886, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2021.
- 261
- total births
- 1886–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 33%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Elby was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
18 babies were named Elby in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1886
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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% |
Kentucky share of Elby's total US births 1.9%
5 of 261 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elby? ▼
261 babies have been named Elby since 1886. It was last recorded in 2021. The peak year was 1920 with 18 births.
When was Elby most popular? ▼
Elby was most popular in the 1920s decade with 85 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Elby most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elby are Kentucky (5 births).
How long has the name Elby been used? ▼
Elby has been recorded in Social Security data since 1886, spanning 136 years of data through 2021.
What names are similar to Elby? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elbert, Elbridge, Elba, Elber, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare 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
Elbert Boy
#7257 33,511 births
Elbridge Boy
659 births
Elba Boy
313 births
Elber Boy
112 births
Elbie Boy
81 births
Compare Elby side by side: Elby vs Elbert Elby vs Elbridge Elby vs Elba
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elby: Baby Name Since 1886 - 261 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elby. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.