Total births
10,091
Boys' name · since 1880
Elmo
Elmo has 10,091 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1920 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 10,091
- total births
- 1880–2023
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
Elmo is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 10,091 have been recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Elmo recorded 10,091 times among boys since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2023.
- 10,091 total births
- 1880–2023 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 29% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
10,091 boys have been named Elmo since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2023.
- 10,091
- total births
- 1880–2023
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Elmo was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
397 babies were named Elmo in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
Elmo's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Elmo splits its recorded history at 1942: 23% of all births land in the more recent half, 77% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2009 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 397 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Elmo at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Elmo popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2023
- Peak year (1920)
- 397
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Elmo popularity over time - girls
247 total births recorded since 1906 (Elmo as girls' name)
Elmo by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Elmo's strongest decade.
2,891 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Elmo births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 135
1880s
135 births
- 1890s 191
1890s
191 births
- 1900s 416
1900s
416 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,476 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,891 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,436 births
- 1940s 1,022
1940s
1,022 births
- 1950s 691
1950s
691 births
- 1960s 376
1960s
376 births
- 1970s 202
1970s
202 births
- 1980s 131
1980s
131 births
- 1990s 85
1990s
85 births
- 2000s 23
2000s
23 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
- 2020s 11
2020s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,891 births (29% of all-time use).
How Elmo 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 Elmo's total volume
Elmo vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Elmo by state
Where Elmo concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,169 | 11.6% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 807 | 8.0% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 457 | 4.5% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 409 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Oklahoma | | 355 | 3.5% |
| #6 | Arkansas | | 331 | 3.3% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 320 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Mississippi | | 297 | 2.9% |
Texas share of Elmo's total US births 11.6%
Even split
1,169 of 10,091 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Elmo appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elmo? ▼
Elmo has been given to 10,091 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2023. 397 babies were born in 1920, its single highest year.
When was Elmo most popular? ▼
Elmo was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,891 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Elmo most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elmo are Texas (1,169 births), Louisiana (807 births), Kentucky (457 births).
How long has the name Elmo been used? ▼
Elmo has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 144 years of data through 2023.
What names are similar to Elmo? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elmer, Elmore, Elmon, Elma, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Elmo's data
- Elmo's decade-level peak was the 1920s (2,891 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Elmos (1,169 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Elmo
Nearby Names Like Elmo
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elmo
Elmer Boy
#1155 129,591 births
Elmore Boy
3,957 births
Elmon Boy
591 births
Elma Boy
483 births
Elmar Boy
#9967 294 births
Compare Elmo side by side: Elmo vs Elmer Elmo vs Elmore Elmo vs Elmon
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Sincere #603
10,095 births · Peak 2022
Winfred
10,104 births · Peak 1922
Mariano #1151
10,077 births · Peak 2022
Lucius #1388
10,108 births · Peak 2025
Westley #656
10,119 births · Peak 2025
Pasquale #4898
10,138 births · Peak 1917
Randell #7807
10,011 births · Peak 1960
Memphis #587
10,185 births · Peak 2021
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, 1880–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elmo: Baby Name Since 1880 - 10,091 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elmo. 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 Elmo 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.