Elwood
Boy name · #1919 in 2025 · Very rare
Elwood is currently the #1919 boy name in the United States — 81 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2429, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,222 boys born in 2025 was named Elwood.
Babies named Elwood per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Elwood first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 23 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 613 boys were named Elwood — good for #215 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 Elwood against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elwood in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elwood is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Elwood will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Elwood is most common
State-level data for Elwood 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 Elwood
Statistically, parents drawn to Elwood tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Edmond, Edmund, Boyd, Harland, and Emile.
EdmondEdmundBoydHarlandEmileEveretteEldonOswald
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elwood | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 81 | #1919 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2098 |
| 2023 | 41 | #3005 |
| 2022 | 43 | #2919 |
| 2021 | 50 | #2588 |
| 2020 | 42 | #2846 |
| 2019 | 33 | #3426 |
| 2018 | 39 | #2994 |
| 2017 | 43 | #2798 |
| 2016 | 51 | #2477 |
| 2015 | 52 | #2429 |
| 2014 | 36 | #3090 |
| 2013 | 29 | #3582 |
| 2012 | 20 | #4686 |
| 2011 | 17 | #5200 |
| 2010 | 19 | #4848 |
| 2009 | 15 | #5800 |
| 2008 | 13 | #6393 |
| 2007 | 13 | #6262 |
| 2006 | 11 | #6904 |
| 2005 | 11 | #6634 |
| 2004 | 12 | #6138 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6715 |
| 2002 | 5 | #10667 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6013 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elwood a popular boy name?
Elwood ranked #1919 among boys in 2025 with 81 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2429.
When was the name Elwood most popular?
Elwood peaked in 1921, when 613 American boys received the name (ranked #215 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Elwood?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,222 newborn American boys was named Elwood. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
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.