Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1932

Else

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

Else is a feminine given name, appearing in German, Danish and Norwegian.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Else
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1932
14 babies
All-time total
514
#11,635 all-time among girls
First recorded
1884
in Social Security records

Else popularity over time

514 babies have been named Else since 1884, 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
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1892Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s 15 2 – #1,073
1890s 65 7 +333% #924
1900s 24 2 -63% #1,620
1910s 59 6 +146% #2,456
1920s 78 8 +32% #2,535
1930s 83 8 +6% #2,233
1940s 13 1 -84% #3,760
1950s 17 2 +31% #5,478
1960s 11 1 -35% #6,465
1970s 11 1 0% #7,980
1980s – – – –
1990s 14 1 – #10,646
2000s 67 7 +379% #9,378
2010s 52 5 -22% #9,194
2020s (to 2025) 5 1 -84% #15,807

The story of Else

Else 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 1884, 514 American babies have been named Else. Its peak came in 1932, when 14 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1930s.

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

How old are people named Else?

The median living Else is about 23 years old; half are between 15 and 57. An estimated 200 people named Else are alive in the United States today.

median 23 020406080100

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

Else year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 5 #15,807
2019 5 #16,256
2018 7 #12,876
2017 6 #14,661
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 12 #9,194
2012 9 #11,557
2011 7 #13,784
2010 6 #15,537
2009 6 #15,833
2008 6 #15,999
2007 8 #13,050
2006 6 #15,708
2005 10 #10,363
2004 5 #16,907
2003 – –
2002 10 #9,718
2001 6 #14,065
2000 10 #9,378
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 5 #6,109
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 5 #4,537
1935 14 #2,233
1930 9 #3,132
1925 – –
1920 7 #4,104
1915 8 #3,214
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 7 #1,620
1895 12 #949
1890 7 #1,128
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Else

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

  1. 1 Else Lasker-Schüler Else Lasker-Schüler German poet and playwright (1869–1945) 19th century
  2. 2 Else Alfelt Else Alfelt Danish artist (1910–1974) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Else?

The median living Else is about 23 years old. Half of all living Elses are between 15 and 57 years old.

How many people named Else are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Else are alive in the United States, based on 514 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Else mean?

Else is a feminine given name, appearing in German, Danish and Norwegian.

How popular is the name Else in 2025?

Else 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 Else?

514 babies have been named Else in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Else most popular?

Else peaked in 1932, when 14 newborns received the name.

Is Else a boy or girl name?

Else is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Else rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Else?

Well-known people named Else include Else Lasker-Schüler (writer), Else Alfelt (painter).

Names like Else

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

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