Elma
Girl name · #4353 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Elma? In official American birth records, Elma has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 32 baby girls were named Elma, placing it at #4353 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4488, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 56,250 girls born in 2025 was named Elma.
Babies named Elma per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Elma first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 28 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 659 girls were named Elma — good for #249 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Elma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elma in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elma is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Elma will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Elma is most common
State-level data for Elma is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Elma
Statistically, parents drawn to Elma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Selma, Elva, Wilma, Thelma, and Alta.
SelmaElvaWilmaThelmaAltaVitaNevaAlida
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #4352 |
| 2024 | 30 | #4560 |
| 2023 | 23 | #5390 |
| 2022 | 25 | #5172 |
| 2021 | 32 | #4326 |
| 2020 | 18 | #6325 |
| 2019 | 27 | #4909 |
| 2018 | 32 | #4357 |
| 2017 | 32 | #4384 |
| 2016 | 27 | #4990 |
| 2015 | 31 | #4488 |
| 2014 | 27 | #5025 |
| 2013 | 23 | #5644 |
| 2012 | 35 | #4216 |
| 2011 | 33 | #4353 |
| 2010 | 31 | #4608 |
| 2009 | 37 | #4107 |
| 2008 | 37 | #4179 |
| 2007 | 39 | #3983 |
| 2006 | 37 | #3992 |
| 2005 | 47 | #3257 |
| 2004 | 37 | #3819 |
| 2003 | 51 | #2956 |
| 2002 | 40 | #3394 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2963 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Elma?
In official American birth records, the name Elma first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 28 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Elma a popular girl name?
Elma ranked #4353 among girls in 2025 with 32 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4488.
When was the name Elma most popular?
Elma peaked in 1918, when 659 American girls received the name (ranked #249 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Elma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 56,250 newborn American girls was named Elma. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.