Boys' name · since 1882

Ellwood

1,979 babies named Ellwood in U.S. Social Security records since 1882, with the highest year being 1918. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

#3,323 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,979
born since 1882
1920s
peak decade

Ellwood sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,979 recorded since 1882.

Ellwood has 1,979 recorded births among boys since 1882, 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 1882 to 2021.

  • #3,323 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 1,979 born since 1882
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ellwood ranks #3,323 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,979 born since 1882, peaking in the 1920s.

#3,323 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,979
born since 1882
1920s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Ellwood's 1,979 recorded births place it above 92.69% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

11 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

11 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Pennsylvania.

Ellwood's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Ellwood's SSA record in two at 1932 and the more recent half accounts for 34% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 66%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 82, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Ellwood popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2021

Last recorded 2021
Peak year (1918)
82
Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
020406080100 188219011914192519361947195819902021 7

Ellwood by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (612 births, 31% of the file).

1920s was Ellwood's strongest decade.

612 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.

Ellwood births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 612 births (31% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Ellwood 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 Ellwood's total volume

Ellwood vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10%12% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -66, 5.2%-146, 3.3%-54, 4.5%-44, 10.9%-49, 5.5%-141, 7.1%-55, 4.5%-57, 8.6%-120, 2.4%-67, 4.2%-56, 5.2%-36, 6%-85, 5%-52, 3.6%-102, 3.9%Ellwood-140, 4.1%Ellwood
Ellwood vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Ellwood by state

Where Ellwood concentrates geographically, total births since 1882

Regionally concentrated
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Ellwood
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Pennsylvania
478 24.2%
#2 Maryland
137 6.9%
#3 New York
26 1.3%
#4 Michigan
15 0.8%
#5 Ohio
15 0.8%
#6 Minnesota
12 0.6%
#7 Virginia
10 0.5%
#8 Illinois
6 0.3%
Pennsylvania share of Ellwood's total US births 24.2%
Even split

478 of 1,979 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.

Ellwood appears in 11 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Ellwood?
Ellwood has been given to 1,979 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #3,323 of 45,481 among boys' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 2021. 82 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
Where does Ellwood sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ellwood ranks #3,323 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Ellwood most popular?
Ellwood was most popular in the 1920s decade with 612 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Ellwood most popular?
The top states for the name Ellwood are Pennsylvania (478 births), Maryland (137 births), New York (26 births).
How long has the name Ellwood been used?
Ellwood has been recorded in Social Security data since 1882, spanning 140 years of data through 2021.
What names are similar to Ellwood?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elliott, Elliot, Ellis, Ellsworth, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Ellwood's data

  • Ellwood's decade-level peak was the 1920s (612 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Pennsylvania records the most Ellwoods (478 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Ellwood

Nearby Names Like Ellwood

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ellwood

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Ellwood: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1882–2021 (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 Ellwood 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.