Animal Names for Girls

5 Letter Girl Names

Names Ending in R for Girls

Two Syllable Names for Girls

Best Rare Names from 100 Years Ago

Vintage Boy Names: How To Find A Cool Old Name

The Weirdest Names Ever

Elmer as a feminine name represents an unusual gender crossover, as it has traditionally been used as a masculine name. Derived from Old English elements 'æðel' meaning 'noble' and 'mær' meaning 'famous,' Elmer was once a common male name in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its use for girls is extremely rare. The name experienced a decline in popularity partly due to associations with cartoon characters like Elmer Fudd. As a feminine name, Elmer might appeal to parents seeking a truly distinctive option with historical roots, though they should be aware of its strong masculine associations in most cultures. The name carries connotations of nobility and renown despite its contemporary rarity.

Cold Feet: Verne? Cecil? Clifford? Linus?

Elmer

The name Elmer peaked for girls at #757 in 1885. Elmer is occasionally used for boys in 2025.

The name Elmer is a boy's name of English origin meaning "noble and renowned".

English Names

Names Ending in -er for Boys

English Names for Boys

5 Letter Boy Names

UK Baby Names

UK Boy Names

Names Ending in R for Boys

Names That Mean Noble

Names That Mean Renowned

Two Syllable Names for Boys

Names that Peaked in 1893

Boy Dog Names That Start With E

Boy Cat Names That Start With E

Dog Names That Start With E

Cat Names That Start With E

Animal Names for Boys

English Names that Start With E

Thanks to Elmer Fudd, Elmer the Cow, Elmer the elephant, Elmer's glue and the similar Elmo, this name might, to some feel like a jokey choice: the quintessential so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out name. And yet, the US statistics don't quite support that perception. 
 
Derived from the Old English Æðelmær meaning "noble and famous", Elmer was in the US Top 100 from the late 19th century up until the late 1930s, before it began to decline. It didn't drop out of the Top 1000 until 2009 however and has been received by at least 135 babies every year since.
 
And, with its trendy El-beginning, popular er-ending, and potential nature-nickname, Elm, there might be potential for Elmer to rise again. A recent year saw it given to nearly 180 babies, meaning it ranked alongside Pslam, Haziel, Kasey, Torin, and Wiley. 
 
 One literary reference is the title character in Sinclair Lewis's novel Elmer Gantry; real life namesakes include playwright Elmer Rice, composer Elmer Bernstein and early American politicians Jonathan and Ebenezer Elmer. "Elmer's Tune" is a jazz classic.

Names from Children's Books

Vintage Baby Names

Forever Geeky Names

Top 1910s Baby Names 

Urban Prairie Names

Top 1900s Baby Names 

Old-Fashioned Cat Names

Old People Names

Cat Names

Kindercore names

Victorian Names from the 1800s

Names with Inspirational Meanings

Pug Names

Old-Fashioned Boy Names

Old-Fashioned Names

Unique, Rare, and Uncommon Boy Names (with Meanings and Origins)

Amish Names

Dog Names

Unique Dog Names

Nerdy Boy Names: Geek Chic Cool

Old Man Names Back in Style

English

Nameberry

Unique

The name Elmer is currently ranked #925 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #32 in 1893. It is currently rising in popularity. The name is most popular in ELMER, ELMER, and ELMER. Elmer is occasionally used for girls in 1980.

Year	US rank	Births	Per million
2014	—	0	0
2015	—	0	0
2016	—	0	0
2017	—	0	0
2018	—	0	0
2019	—	0	0
2020	—	0	0
2021	—	0	0
2022	—	0	0
2023	—	0	0
2024	—	0	0
2025	—	0	0

Elmer

About Elmer

Popularity & trends

Elmer in blog posts

Community discussions

Elmer on more lists

Advanced Search

Save Elmer

The Nameberry App is live