Boy · #3,733 in 2026

Elster

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

Current Rank

#3,733

Peak Rank

#2,446 (1923)

Total Babies

139

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1916

First Year

1947

Last Year

1923

Peak Year

#2446

Peak Rank

139

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Elster

American parents first put Elster on the record books as a baby boy name in 1916, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1923, when 12 Elsters were born — ranking #2,446 that year. About 44% of every Elster on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Elster last appeared in the published SSA data in 1947, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 139 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Elster

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

Ulster
Alster
Esther
Ester
Elter
Elser
Elst
Elater
Eszter
Estr
Elder
Ulcer

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Elster

What does the name Elster mean?

Elster is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1916. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Elster in 2026?

In 2026, Elster ranks #3,733 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Elster most popular?

Elster reached its peak popularity in 1923, ranking #2,446 that year with 12 babies given the name.

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

Elster has historically been most popular in Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Elster.

Is Elster a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Elster?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Elster include Raliegh, Holley, Olon. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Elster

Elster is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 139 births in the dataset. Elster's peak popularity came in 1923 when it ranked #2,446. Use the chart and map above to compare Elster'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.