NameChart

Elmer

Boy name

Elmer has been given to 131,344 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1918.

Meaning & origin /ˈɛlmɚ/

Medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, from Old English Æþelmǣr, from æþel (“noble”) +‎ mǣre (“famous”).

Origin: Old English

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

01.093k2.187k3.28k4.373k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

131,344

Peak year

1918 (4,416 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +8%

Gender split

1% girls / 99% boys

Famous people named Elmer

Elmer Bernstein

American composer and conductor (1922-2004)

George Pataki

Governor of New York from 1995 to 2006

Chayanne

Puerto Rican singer

Elmer Fudd

Warner Bros. cartoon character

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Elmer.

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