Elwood
Boy name · #1919 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Elwood? In official American birth records, Elwood has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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: Official national birth records.
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
How old is the name Elwood?
In official American birth records, the name Elwood first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 23 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.