Boy nameCurrently #1,166 in the USSteady
Elmer
EL-mer//ˈɛlmər//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19185 lettersStarts with E
Meaning & origin
Noble, famous
Elmer comes from the Germanic elements 'adal' (noble) and 'mari' (famous), meaning 'noble and famous'. A once hugely popular late-19th-century name, it is now firmly a period piece with an unmistakably vintage charm.
Elmer's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Elmer |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 373 |
| 1881 | 388 |
| 1882 | 441 |
| 1883 | 423 |
| 1884 | 523 |
| 1885 | 452 |
| 1886 | 485 |
| 1887 | 467 |
| 1888 | 527 |
| 1889 | 563 |
| 1890 | 537 |
| 1891 | 516 |
| 1892 | 603 |
| 1893 | 586 |
| 1894 | 587 |
| 1895 | 615 |
| 1896 | 586 |
| 1897 | 595 |
| 1898 | 596 |
| 1899 | 520 |
| 1900 | 717 |
| 1901 | 529 |
| 1902 | 582 |
| 1903 | 568 |
| 1904 | 631 |
| 1905 | 623 |
| 1906 | 608 |
| 1907 | 625 |
| 1908 | 711 |
| 1909 | 715 |
| 1910 | 777 |
| 1911 | 916 |
| 1912 | 1,867 |
| 1913 | 2,354 |
| 1914 | 2,907 |
| 1915 | 3,846 |
| 1916 | 3,979 |
| 1917 | 3,860 |
| 1918 | 4,416 |
| 1919 | 4,035 |
| 1920 | 4,254 |
| 1921 | 4,202 |
| 1922 | 3,789 |
| 1923 | 3,674 |
| 1924 | 3,779 |
| 1925 | 3,407 |
| 1926 | 3,293 |
| 1927 | 3,259 |
| 1928 | 3,044 |
| 1929 | 2,748 |
| 1930 | 2,519 |
| 1931 | 2,301 |
| 1932 | 2,093 |
| 1933 | 1,816 |
| 1934 | 1,746 |
| 1935 | 1,619 |
| 1936 | 1,448 |
| 1937 | 1,438 |
| 1938 | 1,352 |
| 1939 | 1,353 |
| 1940 | 1,233 |
| 1941 | 1,218 |
| 1942 | 1,246 |
| 1943 | 1,326 |
| 1944 | 1,087 |
| 1945 | 984 |
| 1946 | 1,057 |
| 1947 | 1,010 |
| 1948 | 986 |
| 1949 | 887 |
| 1950 | 821 |
| 1951 | 855 |
| 1952 | 773 |
| 1953 | 697 |
| 1954 | 680 |
| 1955 | 721 |
| 1956 | 662 |
| 1957 | 668 |
| 1958 | 559 |
| 1959 | 538 |
| 1960 | 524 |
| 1961 | 478 |
| 1962 | 439 |
| 1963 | 414 |
| 1964 | 395 |
| 1965 | 376 |
| 1966 | 324 |
| 1967 | 312 |
| 1968 | 307 |
| 1969 | 300 |
| 1970 | 286 |
| 1971 | 271 |
| 1972 | 245 |
| 1973 | 209 |
| 1974 | 222 |
| 1975 | 192 |
| 1976 | 184 |
| 1977 | 176 |
| 1978 | 166 |
| 1979 | 191 |
| 1980 | 167 |
| 1981 | 157 |
| 1982 | 151 |
| 1983 | 150 |
| 1984 | 163 |
| 1985 | 140 |
| 1986 | 149 |
| 1987 | 160 |
| 1988 | 168 |
| 1989 | 167 |
| 1990 | 215 |
| 1991 | 210 |
| 1992 | 236 |
| 1993 | 205 |
| 1994 | 186 |
| 1995 | 212 |
| 1996 | 225 |
| 1997 | 222 |
| 1998 | 215 |
| 1999 | 178 |
| 2000 | 188 |
| 2001 | 237 |
| 2002 | 227 |
| 2003 | 307 |
| 2004 | 212 |
| 2005 | 226 |
| 2006 | 221 |
| 2007 | 243 |
| 2008 | 182 |
| 2009 | 226 |
| 2010 | 195 |
| 2011 | 181 |
| 2012 | 143 |
| 2013 | 158 |
| 2014 | 169 |
| 2015 | 153 |
| 2016 | 168 |
| 2017 | 151 |
| 2018 | 145 |
| 2019 | 175 |
| 2020 | 138 |
| 2021 | 160 |
| 2022 | 168 |
| 2023 | 140 |
| 2024 | 178 |
Elmer through the decades
- Elmer peaked in 1918, when 4,416 babies were named Elmer in the US.
- The 1920s were Elmer's strongest decade, averaging 3,545 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Elmer has fallen 19% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Elmer currently ranks #1,166 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Elmer
Variants & spellings
Aylmer