Elmer
Medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, from Old English Æþelmǣr, from æþel (“noble”) + mǣre (“famous”).
Every Elmer since 1880 — 131,344 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elmer
Elmer is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,223 in 2025 with 165 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 131,344 American babies have been named Elmer. Its peak came in 1918, when 4,416 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Elmer stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elmer year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 165 | #1,223 |
| 2024 | — | — | 181 | #1,156 |
| 2023 | — | — | 140 | #1,351 |
| 2022 | — | — | 168 | #1,192 |
| 2021 | — | — | 160 | #1,209 |
| 2020 | — | — | 138 | #1,310 |
| 2019 | — | — | 175 | #1,120 |
| 2018 | — | — | 145 | #1,266 |
| 2017 | — | — | 151 | #1,217 |
| 2016 | — | — | 169 | #1,143 |
| 2015 | — | — | 153 | #1,206 |
| 2014 | — | — | 169 | #1,130 |
| 2013 | — | — | 158 | #1,147 |
| 2012 | — | — | 143 | #1,237 |
| 2011 | — | — | 181 | #1,047 |
| 2010 | — | — | 195 | #1,007 |
| 2009 | — | — | 227 | #910 |
| 2008 | — | — | 182 | #1,042 |
| 2007 | — | — | 244 | #857 |
| 2006 | — | — | 221 | #890 |
| 2005 | — | — | 227 | #826 |
| 2004 | — | — | 214 | #833 |
| 2003 | — | — | 307 | #650 |
| 2002 | — | — | 227 | #760 |
| 2001 | — | — | 237 | #735 |
| 2000 | — | — | 188 | #850 |
| 1995 | — | — | 212 | #738 |
| 1990 | — | — | 215 | #691 |
| 1985 | — | — | 140 | #754 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,846 | 162 | #681 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,488 | 187 | #590 |
| 1970 | — | — | 286 | #476 |
| 1965 | — | — | 376 | #405 |
| 1960 | 9 | #4,550 | 515 | #342 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4,865 | 714 | #261 |
| 1950 | 12 | #3,110 | 809 | #226 |
| 1945 | 15 | #2,266 | 969 | #169 |
| 1940 | 13 | #2,336 | 1,220 | #144 |
| 1935 | 28 | #1,389 | 1,592 | #115 |
| 1930 | 43 | #1,132 | 2,476 | #80 |
| 1925 | 51 | #1,066 | 3,356 | #61 |
| 1920 | 48 | #1,077 | 4,206 | #45 |
| 1915 | 44 | #1,003 | 3,802 | #45 |
| 1910 | 17 | #1,083 | 760 | #48 |
| 1905 | 21 | #804 | 602 | #41 |
| 1900 | 18 | #893 | 699 | #38 |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,668 | 610 | #34 |
| 1890 | 9 | #958 | 528 | #38 |
| 1885 | 9 | #757 | 443 | #40 |
| 1880 | — | — | 373 | #41 |
Famous people named Elmer
- Elmer Bernstein Composer · 1922–2004
- Elmer Drew Merrill Biologist · 1876–1956
- Elmer Niklander Athlete · 1890–1942
- Elmer Rice Writer · 1892–1967
- Elmer Bennett Basketball player · b. 1970
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Elmer mean?
Medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, from Old English Æþelmǣr, from æþel (“noble”) + mǣre (“famous”).
How popular is the name Elmer in 2025?
Elmer ranked #1,223 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 165 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elmer?
131,344 babies have been named Elmer in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elmer most popular?
Elmer peaked in 1918, when 4,416 newborns received the name.
Is Elmer a boy or girl name?
Elmer is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Elmer rising or falling?
Elmer has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Elmer?
Well-known people named Elmer include Elmer Bernstein (composer), Elmer Drew Merrill (biologist), Elmer Niklander (athlete).