Girls' name · since 1884
Else
Since 1884, U.S. Social Security records show 514 babies named Else, peaking in 1932. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11,639 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 514
- born since 1884
- 1930s
- peak decade
Else sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 514 recorded since 1884.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Else has been recorded 514 times among girls since 1884, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1930s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 2020.
- #11,639 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 514 born since 1884
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Else ranks #11,639 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 514 born since 1884, peaking in the 1930s.
- #11,639 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 514
- born since 1884
- 1930s
- peak decade
Else's 514 recorded births place it above 83.9% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Else's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Else's SSA record in two at 1932 and the more recent half accounts for 50% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 50%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1884, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1932 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Else popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–2020
- Peak year (1932)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 137 years of records
Else by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (83 births, 16% of the file).
1930s was Else's strongest decade.
83 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Else births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 15
1880s
15 births
- 1890s
1890s
65 births
- 1900s 24
1900s
24 births
- 1910s
1910s
59 births
- 1920s
1920s
78 births
- 1930s
1930s
83 births
- 1940s 13
1940s
13 births
- 1950s 17
1950s
17 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1990s 14
1990s
14 births
- 2000s
2000s
67 births
- 2010s
2010s
52 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 83 births (16% of all-time use).
How Else 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 Else's total volume
Else by state
Where Else concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 13 | 2.5% |
13 of 514 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Else's data
- Else's decade-level peak was the 1930s (83 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Elses (13 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Else
Nearby Names Like Else
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Else
Compare Else side by side: Else vs Elsie Else vs Elsa Else vs Elsy
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Else: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1932)
Similar record span (~136 yrs)
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, 1884–2020 (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 Else 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.