Boy name · Old English
Elmer
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: noble, famousElmer is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "noble, famous". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Noble, famous
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #1223 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Elmer
As a boy's name, Elmer comes from Old English and means "noble, famous". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Elmer on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Elmer on 4 lists.
“Old English for noble and famous”
From Redneck names for boys, classic country boy names
“Noble, famous; Old English, a sweet old farmhouse name”
From Cute boy names, sweet vintage boy names
“Old-time cartoon energy”
From Porch goose names, boy porch goose names
“Noble and famous; Old English. From the Old English name Æthelmær”
From Old man names, old boy names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Elmer?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,223
- 165 babies, 97 per million boys
- Best rank
- #32 in 1893
- Most babies: 4,373 in 1918
- Babies since 1880
- At least 129,591
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 4,224 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 4,949 per million |
| 1900s | 4,538 per million |
| 1910s | 4,285 per million |
| 1920s | 3,169 per million |
| 1930s | 1,644 per million |
| 1940s | 731 per million |
| 1950s | 340 per million |
| 1960s | 199 per million |
| 1970s | 129 per million |
| 1980s | 85 per million |
| 1990s | 108 per million |
| 2000s | 114 per million |
| 2010s | 87 per million |
| 2020s | 92 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,143 | #1,217 | #1,266 | #1,120 | #1,310 | #1,209 | #1,192 | #1,351 | #1,156 | #1,223 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Elmer
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- EjderDragon (Persian, boy)
- ÉlieMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- EliorMy God is my light (Hebrew, boy)
- ElleryCheerful, happy (Latin, unisex)
- EmeryNorman form of Emmerich, whose second part means ruler (Germanic, unisex)
- EmirCommander, prince (Arabic, boy)
- EmyrKing, lord (Welsh, boy)
- EnderVery rare (Turkish, boy)
- EserWork, achievement (Turkish, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- AliceNobility, of noble kind (Germanic, girl)
- LouiseFamous warrior (Germanic, girl)
- AdaNoble (Germanic, girl)
- AdelaNoble (Germanic, girl)
- AdeleNoble one (Germanic, girl)
- BertaBright, famous (Germanic, girl)
- AlbertNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertoNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- ClotildeFamous battle (Germanic, girl)
- LouisFamous warrior (Germanic, boy)
Middle names for Elmer
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
Elmer: common questions
What does the name Elmer mean?
Elmer comes from Old English and means "noble, famous".
Is Elmer a boy or girl name?
Elmer is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Elmer come from?
Elmer comes from Old English and means "noble, famous". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Elmer?
Elmer ranked #1,223 in the US in 2025, with 165 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Elmer?
Names spelled like Elmer include Ejder, Élie, Elior, Ellery and Emery.
What middle names go with Elmer?
Middle names that flow well with Elmer include Brooks, Burton, Cedar, Forest and Grant. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.