Total births
1,116
Girls' name · since 1953
Elke
Since 1953, U.S. Social Security records show 1,116 babies named Elke, peaking in 1968. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11267
- among girls today
- 1,116
- born since 1953
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Elke is the #11267 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 1,116 recorded since 1953.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elke has been recorded 1,116 times among girls since 1953, currently ranked #11267 nationally and more common than 36% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1953 to 2025.
- #11267 among girls today
- 1,116 born since 1953
- 1960s peak decade
- 36% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Elke is currently the #11267 girls' name in America, more common than 36% of girls - 1,116 born since 1953, peaking in the 1960s.
- #11267
- among girls today
- 1,116
- born since 1953
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other girls
Elke vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#11267
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 36% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Elke was born in this single decade.
1968
Single peak year
77 babies were named Elke in 1968 - its busiest year on record.
How Elke compares
1,116 Top 30% higher than 70% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Elke's all-time total is 192% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elke | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,116 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 77 | 48 | 19,840 |
Elke's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Elke's SSA record in two at 1990 and the more recent half accounts for 26% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 74%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1953, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1968 peak of 77, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Elke at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1968
Current rank
#11,267
Active since
1953
Elke popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1953–2025
- Peak year (1968)
- 77
- Annual births at peak, across 73 years of records
Elke by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Elke's strongest decade.
354 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Elke births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 17
1950s
17 births
- 1960s
1960s
354 births
- 1970s
1970s
339 births
- 1980s 112
1980s
112 births
- 1990s 73
1990s
73 births
- 2000s 98
2000s
98 births
- 2010s 82
2010s
82 births
- 2020s 41
2020s
41 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 354 births (32% of all-time use).
How Elke compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Elke's total volume
Elke vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Elke by state
Where Elke concentrates geographically, total births since 1953
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 108 | 9.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 98 | 8.8% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 23 | 2.1% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 12 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Texas | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Elke's total US births 9.7%
Even split
108 of 1,116 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elke? ▼
Elke has been given to 1,116 babies in the U.S. since 1953, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #11267 as of the latest data. 77 babies were born in 1968, its single highest year.
When was Elke most popular? ▼
Elke was most popular in the 1960s decade with 354 total births. The single peak year was 1968.
Where is Elke most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elke are California (108 births), New York (98 births), Illinois (23 births).
How long has the name Elke been used? ▼
Elke has been recorded in Social Security data since 1953, spanning 73 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Elke? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elka, Elky. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Elke's data
- Elke's decade-level peak was the 1960s (354 total births); usage has since declined to 41 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Elkes (108 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 Elke
Nearby Names Like Elke
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elke
Compare Elke side by side: Elke vs Elka Elke vs Elky
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elke
Karri #11266
4,493 births · Peak 1976
Jimma #11268
157 births · Peak 2013
Billiejo #11265
1,464 births · Peak 1974
Kyleen #11269
1,056 births · Peak 1984
Marisella #11264
487 births · Peak 1985
Emlyn #11270
467 births · Peak 2018
Lenae #11263
791 births · Peak 1999
Reni #11271
165 births · Peak 2022
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, 1953–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elke: #11267 Girls' Name - 1,116 Births, Peak 1968." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elke. 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 Elke 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.