Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1927

Elgin

Meaning Elgin is both a surname and a given name Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #9,982

Elgin is both a surname and a given name.

Rank 2025
#9,982
among boys · ↓2,057 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Elgin
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1927
78 babies
All-time total
4,002
#2,109 all-time among boys
First recorded
1886
in Social Security records

Elgin popularity over time

4,002 babies have been named Elgin since 1886, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 12 12 1 – #823
1890s – 29 29 3 +142% #639
1900s – 56 56 6 +93% #715
1910s 11 375 386 39 +589% #791
1920s 25 532 557 56 +44% #802
1930s 7 324 331 33 -41% #1,025
1940s – 309 309 31 -7% #1,055
1950s – 312 312 31 +1% #1,127
1960s – 481 481 48 +54% #929
1970s – 425 425 43 -12% #993
1980s – 321 321 32 -24% #1,538
1990s – 242 242 24 -25% #1,819
2000s – 265 265 27 +10% #2,763
2010s – 205 205 21 -23% #3,399
2020s (to 2025) – 71 71 12 -42% #5,182

The story of Elgin

Elgin is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,982 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1886, 4,002 American babies have been named Elgin. Its peak came in 1927, when 78 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

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 Elgin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Elgin?

The median living Elgin is about 47 years old; half are between 28 and 62. An estimated 2,300 people named Elgin are alive in the United States today.

median 47 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Elgin 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 – – 7 #9,982
2024 – – 10 #7,925
2023 – – 11 #7,408
2022 – – 9 #8,495
2021 – – 18 #5,182
2020 – – 16 #5,523
2019 – – 14 #6,186
2018 – – 23 #4,400
2017 – – 14 #6,124
2016 – – 21 #4,665
2015 – – 26 #4,011
2014 – – 21 #4,586
2013 – – 14 #6,001
2012 – – 32 #3,399
2011 – – 23 #4,263
2010 – – 17 #5,317
2009 – – 27 #3,853
2008 – – 34 #3,305
2007 – – 21 #4,539
2006 – – 26 #3,818
2005 – – 39 #2,763
2004 – – 26 #3,561
2003 – – 28 #3,305
2002 – – 22 #3,826
2001 – – 19 #4,173
2000 – – 23 #3,567
1995 – – 21 #3,225
1990 – – 43 #1,819
1985 – – 31 #1,878
1980 – – 34 #1,707
1975 – – 34 #1,540
1970 – – 67 #993
1965 – – 45 #1,115
1960 – – 34 #1,367
1955 – – 25 #1,548
1950 – – 40 #1,127
1945 – – 27 #1,279
1940 – – 30 #1,235
1935 – – 39 #1,026
1930 – – 45 #1,025
1925 – – 58 #885
1920 – – 69 #806
1915 6 #3,917 42 #967
1910 – – 15 #791
1905 – – 12 #715
1900 – – 5 #1,370
1895 – – 5 #1,128
1890 – – 10 #639
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Elgin

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Elgin Baylor Elgin Baylor American basketball player (1934–2021) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Elgin, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Elgin?

The median living Elgin is about 47 years old. Half of all living Elgins are between 28 and 62 years old.

How many people named Elgin are alive today?

An estimated 2,300 people named Elgin are alive in the United States, based on 4,002 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Elgin mean?

Elgin is both a surname and a given name.

How popular is the name Elgin in 2025?

Elgin ranked #9,982 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Elgin?

4,002 babies have been named Elgin in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Elgin most popular?

Elgin peaked in 1927, when 78 newborns received the name.

Is Elgin a boy or girl name?

Elgin is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Elgin rising or falling?

Elgin is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Elgin?

Well-known people named Elgin include Elgin Baylor (basketball player).

Names like Elgin

Names that sound and feel close to Elgin: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Elgin with similar names → More names starting with E →