Total births
20,786
Boys' name · since 1880
Elwood
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 20,786 babies named Elwood, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2099
- among boys today
- 20,786
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 85%
- more common than other boys
20,786 babies have been named Elwood since 1880, making it today's #2099 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elwood has been recorded 20,786 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #2099 nationally and more common than 85% 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.
- #2099 among boys today
- 20,786 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 85% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Elwood is currently the #2099 boys' name in America, more common than 85% of boys - 20,786 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2099
- among boys today
- 20,786
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 85%
- more common than other boys
Elwood vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2099
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 85% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Elwood was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
613 babies were named Elwood in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Elwood compares
20,786 Top 6% higher than 94% 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
Elwood's all-time total is 57x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elwood | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 20,786 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 613 | 23 | 22,252 |
Elwood's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Elwood splits its recorded history at 1953: 17% of all births land in the more recent half, 83% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2002 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 613 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Elwood at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#2,099
Active since
1880
Elwood popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 613
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Elwood popularity over time - girls
53 total births recorded since 1921 (Elwood as girls' name)
Elwood by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Elwood's strongest decade.
5,494 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Elwood births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 274
1880s
274 births
- 1890s 356
1890s
356 births
- 1900s 504
1900s
504 births
- 1910s
1910s
3,908 births
- 1920s
1920s
5,494 births
- 1930s
1930s
3,553 births
- 1940s
1940s
2,593 births
- 1950s 1,642
1950s
1,642 births
- 1960s 880
1960s
880 births
- 1970s 421
1970s
421 births
- 1980s 233
1980s
233 births
- 1990s 146
1990s
146 births
- 2000s 115
2000s
115 births
- 2010s 339
2010s
339 births
- 2020s 328
2020s
328 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 5,494 births (26% of all-time use).
How Elwood 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 Elwood's total volume
Elwood vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Elwood by state
Where Elwood concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 3,743 | 18.0% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 1,244 | 6.0% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 978 | 4.7% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 897 | 4.3% |
| #5 | New York | | 868 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 797 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Kentucky | | 731 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 667 | 3.2% |
Pennsylvania share of Elwood's total US births 18.0%
Even split
3,743 of 20,786 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 44 reporting states.
Elwood appears in 44 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elwood? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 20,786 babies named Elwood. Today it holds rank #2099 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1921, with 613 births.
When was Elwood most popular? ▼
Elwood was most popular in the 1920s decade with 5,494 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Elwood most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elwood are Pennsylvania (3,743 births), Virginia (1,244 births), North Carolina (978 births).
How long has the name Elwood been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Elwood since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Elwood? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elwin, Elwyn, Elward, Elway, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Elwood's data
- Elwood's decade-level peak was the 1920s (5,494 total births); usage has since declined to 328 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Elwoods (3,743 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 Elwood
Nearby Names Like Elwood
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elwood
Elwin Boy
#6484 5,176 births
Elwyn Boy
#7793 3,231 births
Elward Boy
306 births
Elway Boy
39 births
Elworth Boy
26 births
Compare Elwood side by side: Elwood vs Elwin Elwood vs Elwyn Elwood vs Elward
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elwood
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. "Elwood: #2099 Boys' Name - 20,786 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elwood. 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 Elwood 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.