Total births
129,591
Boys' name · since 1880
Elmer
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 129,591 babies named Elmer, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1155
- among boys today
- 129,591
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
129,591 babies have been named Elmer since 1880, making it today's #1155 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elmer has been recorded 129,591 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1155 nationally and more common than 92% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1155 among boys today
- 129,591 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Elmer is currently the #1155 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 129,591 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1155
- among boys today
- 129,591
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Elmer vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1155
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Elmer was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
4,373 babies were named Elmer in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Elmer compares
129,591 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Elmer's all-time total is 353x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elmer | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 129,591 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 4,373 | 23 | 22,252 |
Elmer's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Elmer splits its recorded history at 1953: 15% of all births land in the more recent half, 85% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2020 (138 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 4,373 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Elmer at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1918
Current rank
#1,155
Active since
1880
Elmer popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 4,373
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Elmer popularity over time - girls
1,753 total births recorded since 1885 (Elmer as girls' name)
Elmer by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Elmer's strongest decade.
34,919 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Elmer births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 4,627
1880s
4,627 births
- 1890s 5,647
1890s
5,647 births
- 1900s 6,161
1900s
6,161 births
- 1910s
1910s
28,600 births
- 1920s
1920s
34,919 births
- 1930s
1930s
17,371 births
- 1940s 10,879
1940s
10,879 births
- 1950s 6,881
1950s
6,881 births
- 1960s 3,833
1960s
3,833 births
- 1970s 2,137
1970s
2,137 births
- 1980s 1,567
1980s
1,567 births
- 1990s 2,104
1990s
2,104 births
- 2000s 2,274
2000s
2,274 births
- 2010s 1,639
2010s
1,639 births
- 2020s 952
2020s
952 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 34,919 births (27% of all-time use).
How Elmer 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 Elmer's total volume
Elmer vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Elmer by state
Where Elmer concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 9,678 | 7.5% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 6,995 | 5.4% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 6,284 | 4.8% |
| #4 | Texas | | 5,569 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 5,190 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 4,849 | 3.7% |
| #7 | California | | 4,588 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 4,104 | 3.2% |
Pennsylvania share of Elmer's total US births 7.5%
Even split
9,678 of 129,591 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Elmer appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elmer? ▼
Elmer has been given to 129,591 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1155 as of the latest data. 4,373 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
When was Elmer most popular? ▼
Elmer was most popular in the 1920s decade with 34,919 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Elmer most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elmer are Pennsylvania (9,678 births), Illinois (6,995 births), Ohio (6,284 births).
How long has the name Elmer been used? ▼
Records for Elmer go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Elmer? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elmo, Elmore, Elmon, Elma, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Elmer's data
- Elmer's decade-level peak was the 1920s (34,919 total births); usage has since declined to 952 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Elmers (9,678 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania 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 Elmer
Nearby Names Like Elmer
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elmer
Elmo Boy
10,091 births
Elmore Boy
3,957 births
Elmon Boy
591 births
Elma Boy
483 births
Elmar Boy
#9967 294 births
Compare Elmer side by side: Elmer vs Elmo Elmer vs Elmore Elmer vs Elmon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elmer
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. "Elmer: #1155 Boys' Name - 129,591 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elmer. 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 Elmer 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.