Total births
1,333
Boys' name · since 1911
Elson
1,333 babies named Elson in U.S. Social Security records since 1911, with the highest year being 1924. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #6496
- among boys today
- 1,333
- born since 1911
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other boys
1,333 babies have been named Elson since 1911, making it today's #6496 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Elson recorded 1,333 times among boys since 1911, holding rank #6496 nationally today, ahead of 55% of boys, 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 1911 to 2025.
- #6496 among boys today
- 1,333 born since 1911
- 1920s peak decade
- 55% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Elson is currently the #6496 boys' name in America, more common than 55% of boys - 1,333 born since 1911, peaking in the 1920s.
- #6496
- among boys today
- 1,333
- born since 1911
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other boys
Elson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6496
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 55% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Elson was born in this single decade.
1924
Single peak year
28 babies were named Elson in 1924 - its busiest year on record.
How Elson compares
1,333 Top 26% higher than 74% 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
Elson's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,333 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 28 | 23 | 22,252 |
Elson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Elson splits its recorded history at 1968: 50% of all births land in the more recent half, 50% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1961 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1924 peak of 28 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Elson at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1924
Current rank
#6,496
Active since
1911
Elson popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1911–2025
- Peak year (1924)
- 28
- Annual births at peak, across 115 years of records
Elson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Elson's strongest decade.
167 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Elson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
107 births
- 1920s
1920s
167 births
- 1930s
1930s
123 births
- 1940s
1940s
127 births
- 1950s
1950s
88 births
- 1960s
1960s
68 births
- 1970s
1970s
91 births
- 1980s
1980s
96 births
- 1990s
1990s
106 births
- 2000s
2000s
124 births
- 2010s
2010s
148 births
- 2020s
2020s
88 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 167 births (13% of all-time use).
How Elson 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 Elson's total volume
Elson vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Elson by state
Where Elson concentrates geographically, total births since 1911
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 25 | 1.9% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 21 | 1.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Elson's total US births 1.9%
Even split
25 of 1,333 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elson? ▼
1,333 babies have been named Elson since 1911. It currently ranks #6496 among boys. The peak year was 1924 with 28 births.
When was Elson most popular? ▼
Elson was most popular in the 1920s decade with 167 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Where is Elson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elson are California (25 births), Louisiana (21 births), Florida (5 births).
How long has the name Elson been used? ▼
Records for Elson go back to 1911, giving 115 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Elson? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elston, Elsie, Elsworth, Elster, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Elson's data
- Elson's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (167 total births) through the 2020s (88) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Elsons (25 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 Elson
Nearby Names Like Elson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elson
Elston Boy
#9952 1,120 births
Elsie Boy
886 births
Elsworth Boy
829 births
Elster Boy
139 births
Elsa Boy
21 births
Compare Elson side by side: Elson vs Elston Elson vs Elsie Elson vs Elsworth
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elson
Fidencio #6495
2,232 births · Peak 1928
Osmond #6497
470 births · Peak 2022
Hercules #6494
1,320 births · Peak 2023
Francois #6498
1,818 births · Peak 1992
Charlotte #6493
771 births · Peak 1942
Kim #6499
34,951 births · Peak 1955
Sinclair #6492
1,435 births · Peak 1924
Harald #6500
811 births · Peak 1925
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1911–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elson: #6496 Boys' Name - 1,333 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elson. 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 Elson 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 July 2026.