Elke
Every Elke since 1953 — 1,116 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elke
Elke is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,330 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1953, 1,116 American babies have been named Elke. Its peak came in 1968, when 77 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Elke stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elke year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,330 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,393 |
| 2023 | 5 | #15,864 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 9 | #10,518 |
| 2020 | 10 | #9,761 |
| 2019 | 7 | #12,839 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,319 |
| 2017 | 9 | #10,946 |
| 2016 | 9 | #11,117 |
| 2015 | 9 | #11,167 |
| 2014 | 14 | #8,184 |
| 2013 | 8 | #12,331 |
| 2012 | 5 | #17,648 |
| 2011 | 6 | #15,402 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,546 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,183 |
| 2008 | 5 | #18,342 |
| 2007 | 8 | #13,041 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10,109 |
| 2005 | 11 | #9,642 |
| 2004 | 13 | #8,400 |
| 2003 | 11 | #9,238 |
| 2002 | 10 | #9,712 |
| 2001 | 6 | #14,062 |
| 2000 | 12 | #8,185 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,611 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,123 |
| 1980 | 23 | #3,537 |
| 1975 | 26 | #2,830 |
| 1970 | 55 | #1,687 |
| 1965 | 50 | #1,581 |
| 1960 | 9 | #4,546 |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Elke
- Elke Sommer Actor · b. 1940
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Elke in 2025?
Elke ranked #10,330 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elke?
1,116 babies have been named Elke in the United States since 1953, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elke most popular?
Elke peaked in 1968, when 77 newborns received the name.
Is Elke a boy or girl name?
Elke is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Elke rising or falling?
Elke is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Elke?
Well-known people named Elke include Elke Sommer (actor).