Elder
Boy name · #2720 in 2025 · Uniqueness 59/100
Elder is currently the #2720 boy name in the United States — 47 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3431, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 38,298 boys born in 2025 was named Elder.
Babies named Elder per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Elder first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 58 babies and a rank of #2393. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elder against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elder in class?
Elder scores 59 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Elder is most common
State-level data for Elder is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Elder
Statistically, parents drawn to Elder tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lander, Sander, Eder, Haider, and Ender.
LanderSanderEderHaiderEnderRiderCalderMaher
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elder | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #2718 |
| 2024 | 58 | #2393 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 41 | #3003 |
| 2021 | 44 | #2819 |
| 2020 | 31 | #3497 |
| 2019 | 50 | #2582 |
| 2018 | 30 | #3607 |
| 2017 | 44 | #2755 |
| 2016 | 40 | #2935 |
| 2015 | 32 | #3431 |
| 2014 | 45 | #2661 |
| 2013 | 29 | #3582 |
| 2012 | 27 | #3807 |
| 2011 | 35 | #3164 |
| 2010 | 41 | #2874 |
| 2009 | 41 | #2894 |
| 2008 | 48 | #2583 |
| 2007 | 56 | #2304 |
| 2006 | 56 | #2248 |
| 2005 | 40 | #2701 |
| 2004 | 36 | #2843 |
| 2003 | 39 | #2579 |
| 2002 | 46 | #2249 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elder a popular boy name?
Elder ranked #2720 among boys in 2025 with 47 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3431.
When was the name Elder most popular?
Elder peaked in 2024, when 58 American boys received the name (ranked #2393 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Elder?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 38,298 newborn American boys was named Elder. It scores 59/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.