Total births
2,268
Boys' name · since 1880
Elder
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,268 babies named Elder, peaking in 2024. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2393
- among boys today
- 2,268
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
2,268 babies have been named Elder since 1880, making it today's #2393 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Elder recorded 2,268 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #2393 nationally today, ahead of 83% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2393 among boys today
- 2,268 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 83% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Elder is currently the #2393 boys' name in America, more common than 83% of boys - 2,268 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2393
- among boys today
- 2,268
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
Elder vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2393
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 83% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Elder was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
58 babies were named Elder in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Elder compares
2,268 Top 20% higher than 80% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Elder's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elder | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,268 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 58 | 23 | 22,252 |
Elder's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Elder's full recorded timeline at 1952, 66% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 34% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1883, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2024 peak of 58 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Elder at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2024
Current rank
#2,393
Active since
1880
Elder popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 58
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Elder popularity over time - girls
52 total births recorded since 1915 (Elder as girls' name)
Elder by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Elder's strongest decade.
422 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Elder births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 45
1880s
45 births
- 1890s 48
1890s
48 births
- 1900s 49
1900s
49 births
- 1910s
1910s
191 births
- 1920s
1920s
213 births
- 1930s 123
1930s
123 births
- 1940s 94
1940s
94 births
- 1950s 59
1950s
59 births
- 1960s 30
1960s
30 births
- 1970s 49
1970s
49 births
- 1980s 70
1980s
70 births
- 1990s
1990s
233 births
- 2000s
2000s
422 births
- 2010s
2010s
373 births
- 2020s
2020s
269 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 422 births (19% of all-time use).
How Elder compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Elder's total volume
Elder vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Elder by state
Where Elder concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 263 | 11.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 92 | 4.1% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 45 | 2.0% |
| #4 | Florida | | 28 | 1.2% |
| #5 | Maryland | | 16 | 0.7% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #7 | New York | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Arizona | | 5 | 0.2% |
California share of Elder's total US births 11.6%
Even split
263 of 2,268 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Elder appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elder? ▼
2,268 babies have been named Elder since 1880. It currently ranks #2393 among boys. The peak year was 2024 with 58 births.
When was Elder most popular? ▼
Elder was most popular in the 2000s decade with 422 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
Where is Elder most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elder are California (263 births), Texas (92 births), Georgia (45 births).
How long has the name Elder been used? ▼
Records for Elder go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Elder? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Eldon, Elden, Eldridge, Eldred, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Elder's data
- Elder's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (422 total births) through the 2020s (269) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Elders (263 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Elder
Nearby Names Like Elder
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elder
Eldon Boy
#2237 26,102 births
Elden Boy
#2963 5,921 births
Eldridge Boy
#7769 5,247 births
Eldred Boy
3,746 births
Eldin Boy
#6221 706 births
Compare Elder side by side: Elder vs Eldon Elder vs Elden Elder vs Eldridge
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elder
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elder: #2393 Boys' Name - 2,268 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elder. 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 Elder 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.