Unisex name · since 1880

Elza

2,111 babies named Elza in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1922. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

#3,196 of 45,481
all-time among boys
2,111
born since 1880
1920s
peak decade

Elza sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 2,111 recorded since 1880.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elza has been recorded 2,111 times among boys since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1990.

  • #3,196 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 2,111 born since 1880
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elza ranks #3,196 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,111 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.

#3,196 of 45,481
all-time among boys
2,111
born since 1880
1920s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Elza's 2,111 recorded births place it above 92.97% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

10 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

10 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Kentucky.

Elza's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Elza splits its recorded history at 1927: 42% of all births land in the more recent half, 58% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1903 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 68 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Elza popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1990

Last recorded 1990
Peak year (1922)
68
Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
020406080 188018921904191619281940195219641990 6

Elza popularity over time - girls

831 total births recorded since 1883 (Elza as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 831 births
0510152025 188319061919193019501983200920202025 8

Elza by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (523 births, 25% of the file).

1920s was Elza's strongest decade.

523 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.

Elza births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 523 births (25% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Elza 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 Elza's total volume

Elza vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -67, 5.7%-28, 9%-105, 4.2%-111, 2.6%-51, 3.8%-101, 2.7%-114, 2.2%-96, 5%-60, 3.5%-60, 4.3%-128, 2.3%-58, 4.5%-114, 8.3%-58, 4.2%-113, 4.6%Elza-111, 3.2%Elza
Elza vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Elza by state

Where Elza concentrates geographically, total births since 1880

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Elza
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Kentucky
195 9.2%
#2 Missouri
75 3.6%
#3 West Virginia
59 2.8%
#4 Oklahoma
45 2.1%
#5 Illinois
41 1.9%
#6 Ohio
39 1.8%
#7 Texas
30 1.4%
#8 Indiana
28 1.3%
Kentucky share of Elza's total US births 9.2%
Even split

195 of 2,111 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.

Elza appears in 10 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Elza?
2,111 babies have been named Elza since 1880. All-time, it sits at #3,196 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 1990. The peak year was 1922 with 68 births.
Where does Elza sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elza ranks #3,196 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Elza most popular?
Elza was most popular in the 1920s decade with 523 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Elza most popular?
The top states for the name Elza are Kentucky (195 births), Missouri (75 births), West Virginia (59 births).
Is Elza a unisex name?
Yes, Elza is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,111 births, and as a girl's name it has 831 births.
How long has the name Elza been used?
Elza has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 111 years of data through 1990.
What names are similar to Elza?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elzie, Elzy, Elzia, Elzo, and 3 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Elza's data

  • Elza's decade-level peak was the 1920s (523 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Kentucky records the most Elzas (195 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Elza

Nearby Names Like Elza

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elza

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Elza: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1880–1990 (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 Elza 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.