Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1920

Elmo

Meaning From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus Gender Boy · 2% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Elmo
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1920
409 babies
All-time total
10,338
#1,200 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Elmo popularity over time

10,338 babies have been named Elmo since 1880, 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
0.190.380.560.7518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 135 135 14 – #416
1890s – 191 191 19 +41% #342
1900s 13 416 429 43 +125% #247
1910s 122 2,476 2,598 260 +506% #251
1920s 96 2,891 2,987 299 +15% #279
1930s 16 1,436 1,452 145 -51% #433
1940s – 1,022 1,022 102 -30% #550
1950s – 691 691 69 -32% #754
1960s – 376 376 38 -46% #1,087
1970s – 202 202 20 -46% #1,660
1980s – 131 131 13 -35% #2,605
1990s – 85 85 9 -35% #3,641
2000s – 23 23 2 -73% #6,148
2010s – 5 5 1 -78% #12,695
2020s (to 2025) – 11 11 2 +267% #11,162

The story of Elmo

Elmo is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 10,338 American babies have been named Elmo. Its peak came in 1920, when 409 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 Elmo stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Elmo?

The median living Elmo is about 71 years old; half are between 58 and 81. An estimated 2,000 people named Elmo are alive in the United States today.

median 71 020406080100

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

Elmo 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – 5 #12,781
2022 – – – –
2021 – – 6 #11,162
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – 5 #12,695
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – 5 #13,042
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – 7 #8,946
2002 – – – –
2001 – – 11 #6,148
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – 10 #5,110
1985 – – 12 #3,657
1980 – – 9 #4,246
1975 – – 20 #2,236
1970 – – 24 #1,813
1965 – – 28 #1,462
1960 – – 48 #1,134
1955 – – 71 #879
1950 – – 76 #784
1945 – – 78 #685
1940 – – 103 #583
1935 – – 148 #466
1930 – – 183 #433
1925 17 #2,216 273 #356
1920 12 #2,776 397 #279
1915 12 #2,432 286 #302
1910 5 #2,524 86 #264
1905 – – 27 #416
1900 – – 40 #345
1895 – – 26 #372
1890 – – 12 #575
1885 – – 14 #508
1880 – – 15 #470

Famous people named Elmo

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

  1. 1 Elmo Lincoln Elmo Lincoln American actor (1889–1952) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Elmo?

The median living Elmo is about 71 years old. Half of all living Elmos are between 58 and 81 years old.

How many people named Elmo are alive today?

An estimated 2,000 people named Elmo are alive in the United States, based on 10,338 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Elmo mean?

From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus.

How popular is the name Elmo in 2025?

Elmo did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Elmo?

10,338 babies have been named Elmo in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Elmo most popular?

Elmo peaked in 1920, when 409 newborns received the name.

Is Elmo a boy or girl name?

Elmo is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 98% of babies with the name.

Is the name Elmo rising or falling?

Elmo has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Elmo?

Well-known people named Elmo include Elmo Lincoln (actor).

Names like Elmo

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

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