Elmer

Did you know?

A few things about Elmer you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Elmer

Elmer Bernstein

American composer and conductor (1922-2004)

Choose Elmer and your child shares a first name with Elmer Bernstein, an American composer and conductor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Elmer, like who?” Elmer Bernstein's Wikipedia article is available in 41 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Elmer Bernstein on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: MSGT Deal Toney, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 10,352 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Elmer, 165 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Elmer would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryElmer has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Elmers, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1893, when it ranked #32. Today it's #1,222, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🚀TrendElmer has climbed 86 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,222. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedElmer is most popular in Pennsylvania, where it ranks #397, followed by Indiana (#512) and Kansas (#590). It's in the top 1,000 in 5 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Old English, Elmer means “noble and famous”.

About the name Elmer

Elmer is a boy name of English origin meaning “noble and famous”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-mer”. US birth records list Elmer for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1893, when it ranked #32 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,222, with 165 babies.

Origin:English names