Elma
Elma was the 4384th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 32 babies. Its best year was 1901, when it ranked 209th; the most babies were born in 1918 (659). Over the last ten years it has moved up 136 places. More babies were named Elma in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #4,384 girls, up 2,032 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 32girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1918659 babies
- Total since 1880
- 22,186babies recorded
Elma popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 483 since 1896.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,384 | 32 |
| 2020 | #6,416 | 18 |
| 2010 | #4,645 | 31 |
| 2000 | #3,470 | 38 |
| 1990 | #6,230 | 14 |
| 1980 | #3,641 | 22 |
| 1970 | #2,279 | 34 |
| 1960 | #1,023 | 111 |
| 1950 | #717 | 143 |
| 1940 | #470 | 204 |
| 1930 | #346 | 362 |
| 1920 | #266 | 600 |
| 1910 | #235 | 273 |
| 1900 | #235 | 182 |
| 1890 | #234 | 108 |
| 1880 | #297 | 28 |
How popular is Elma, counting every spelling?
Elma has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Elma?
32 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Elma (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Elma born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 261 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Elma.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Elma?
About 4,600 people born in the US named Elma are alive today, with a median age of 69; half are between 43 and 81. That makes Elma a name most people associate with older generations. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Elma by state
How common Elma was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Elma: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Elma, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Elma
How popular is the name Elma?
Elma was the 4384th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 32 babies. Its best year was 1901, when it ranked 209th; the most babies were born in 1918 (659). Over the last ten years it has moved up 136 places. More babies were named Elma in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Elma a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Elma in the US.
Where is Elma most popular?
In 2021–2025, Elma was most common in New York (0.04 per 1,000 girls).