Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1921

Elwood

Meaning elf Gender Boy Rank 2025 #1,921 Trend ↑ Rising 78%

From the Middle English personal name Elwald, Elwold, Alwold, which is composed of the Old English elements ælf (“elf”) and weald (“rule”).

Rank 2025
#1,921
among boys · ↑183 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
81
named Elwood · +14% vs 2024
How common
1 in 21,087
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1921
625 babies
All-time total
20,839
#826 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Elwood popularity over time

20,839 babies have been named Elwood 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 – 274 274 27 – #298
1890s – 356 356 36 +30% #250
1900s – 504 504 50 +42% #241
1910s – 3,908 3,908 391 +675% #204
1920s 40 5,494 5,534 553 +42% #215
1930s 13 3,553 3,566 357 -36% #260
1940s – 2,593 2,593 259 -27% #331
1950s – 1,642 1,642 164 -37% #472
1960s – 880 880 88 -46% #714
1970s – 421 421 42 -52% #1,083
1980s – 233 233 23 -45% #1,708
1990s – 146 146 15 -37% #3,091
2000s – 115 115 12 -21% #5,116
2010s – 339 339 34 +195% #2,440
2020s (to 2025) – 328 328 55 +61% #1,921

Where Elwood is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 89 0.05 outside top 500
2027 97 0.06 outside top 500
2028 103 0.06 outside top 500
2029 110 0.06 outside top 500
2030 115 0.07 outside top 500

The story of Elwood

Elwood is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,921 in 2025 with 81 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 20,839 American babies have been named Elwood. Its peak came in 1921, when 625 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 Elwood stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Elwood?

The median living Elwood is about 69 years old; half are between 52 and 80. An estimated 5,400 people named Elwood are alive in the United States today.

median 69 020406080100

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

Elwood 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 – – 81 #1,921
2024 – – 71 #2,104
2023 – – 41 #3,021
2022 – – 43 #2,931
2021 – – 50 #2,595
2020 – – 42 #2,856
2019 – – 33 #3,440
2018 – – 39 #3,011
2017 – – 43 #2,812
2016 – – 51 #2,485
2015 – – 52 #2,440
2014 – – 36 #3,107
2013 – – 29 #3,603
2012 – – 20 #4,745
2011 – – 17 #5,271
2010 – – 19 #4,895
2009 – – 15 #5,890
2008 – – 13 #6,512
2007 – – 13 #6,370
2006 – – 11 #7,066
2005 – – 11 #6,768
2004 – – 12 #6,245
2003 – – 10 #6,878
2002 – – 5 #11,214
2001 – – 11 #6,149
2000 – – 14 #5,116
1995 – – 7 #7,239
1990 – – 20 #3,091
1985 – – 17 #2,865
1980 – – 34 #1,708
1975 – – 37 #1,463
1970 – – 54 #1,120
1965 – – 75 #850
1960 – – 120 #714
1955 – – 157 #585
1950 – – 179 #498
1945 – – 223 #402
1940 – – 288 #337
1935 – – 314 #305
1930 5 #4,749 462 #260
1925 6 #4,584 571 #229
1920 – – 586 #220
1915 – – 529 #204
1910 – – 93 #250
1905 – – 36 #340
1900 – – 51 #290
1895 – – 43 #269
1890 – – 24 #361
1885 – – 28 #321
1880 – – 23 #356

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Elwood?

The median living Elwood is about 69 years old. Half of all living Elwoods are between 52 and 80 years old.

How many people named Elwood are alive today?

An estimated 5,400 people named Elwood are alive in the United States, based on 20,839 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Elwood mean?

From the Middle English personal name Elwald, Elwold, Alwold, which is composed of the Old English elements ælf (“elf”) and weald (“rule”).

How popular is the name Elwood in 2025?

Elwood ranked #1,921 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 81 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Elwood?

20,839 babies have been named Elwood in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Elwood most popular?

Elwood peaked in 1921, when 625 newborns received the name.

Is Elwood a boy or girl name?

Elwood is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Elwood rising or falling?

Elwood is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Elwood become more popular?

Elwood is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 115 boys named Elwood in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Elwood

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

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