Boys' name · since 1884
Helmer
835 babies named Helmer in U.S. Social Security records since 1884, with the highest year being 1917. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5,757 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 835
- born since 1884
- 1910s
- peak decade
835 boys have been named Helmer since 1884, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Helmer recorded 835 times among boys since 1884, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1910s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 2017.
- #5,757 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 835 born since 1884
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Helmer ranks #5,757 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 835 born since 1884, peaking in the 1910s.
- #5,757 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 835
- born since 1884
- 1910s
- peak decade
Helmer's 835 recorded births place it above 87.33% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by Minnesota.
Helmer's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Helmer's full recorded timeline at 1921, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1891, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1917 peak of 37 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Helmer popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–2017
- Peak year (1917)
- 37
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Helmer by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (250 births, 30% of the file).
1910s was Helmer's strongest decade.
250 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Helmer births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 51
1880s
51 births
- 1890s 89
1890s
89 births
- 1900s 63
1900s
63 births
- 1910s
1910s
250 births
- 1920s
1920s
182 births
- 1930s 78
1930s
78 births
- 1940s 22
1940s
22 births
- 1950s 10
1950s
10 births
- 1990s 18
1990s
18 births
- 2000s 48
2000s
48 births
- 2010s 24
2010s
24 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 250 births (30% of all-time use).
How Helmer 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 Helmer's total volume
Helmer by state
Where Helmer concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 113 | 13.5% |
| #2 | North Dakota | | 27 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 17 | 2.0% |
113 of 835 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Helmer? ▼
Where does Helmer sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Helmer most popular? ▼
Where is Helmer most popular? ▼
How long has the name Helmer been used? ▼
What names are similar to Helmer? ▼
What to do with Helmer's data
- Helmer's decade-level peak was the 1910s (250 total births); usage has since declined to 24 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Helmers (113 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Helmer
Nearby Names Like Helmer
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Helmer
Compare Helmer side by side: Helmer vs Helen Helmer vs Helmuth Helmer vs Helios
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Helmer: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1917)
Similar record span (~133 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, 1884–2017 (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 Helmer 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.