Boy · #7,520 in 2026

Elgin

Name: Popularity of the name Elgin in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Elgin, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#7,520

Peak Rank

#629 (1920)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

-45%

1915

First Year

1932

Last Year

1927

Peak Year

#3285

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Elgin

The earliest SSA record of Elgin as a baby boy name dates back to 1886, when 5 babies received it. 1920 was its biggest year on record, with 69 newborns named Elgin — #805 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Elgin ranks #7,520 for baby boys with 8 births, falling sharply (-45%). All told, over 4K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Elgin

Phonetically similar names — useful when Elgin is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Algin
Elin
Ellyn
Edgin
Ellen
Belgian
Elon
Elen
Ellan
Elion
Elean
Ehlen

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Elgin

What does the name Elgin mean?

Elgin is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1886. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Elgin in 2026?

In 2026, Elgin ranks #7,520 among boys' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.

When was Elgin most popular?

Elgin reached its peak popularity in 1920, ranking #629 that year with 69 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Elgin most popular?

Elgin has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, Nebraska, Arkansas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Elgin.

Is Elgin a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Elgin is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Elgin?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Elgin include Aurelio, Kahlil, Germaine. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Elgin

Elgin is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Elgin's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #629. Use the chart and map above to compare Elgin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.