Unisex · #4,411 in 2026

Elve

Current Rank
#4,411
Peak Rank
#3,795 (1915)
Total Babies
28
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #3,795 (28 total)
👦 Boy peak #3,728 (16 total)
👧As Girl Name
1915
First Year
1932
Last Year
1915
Peak Year
#3795
Peak Rank
28
Total Count
5
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1918
First Year
1931
Last Year
1918
Peak Year
#3728
Peak Rank
16
Total Count
3
Years Active

The Story of Elve

As a girl name

American parents first put Elve on the record books as a girl name in 1915, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1915, when 6 Elves were born — ranking #3,795 that year. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 61% of all recorded Elves. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1932 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 28 Elves have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

The earliest SSA record of Elve as a boy name dates back to 1918, when 6 babies received it. 1918 was its biggest year on record, with 6 newborns named Elve — #3,728 in the national rankings. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 38% of all recorded Elves. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1931 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 16 Elves have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Elve

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

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Elve

What does the name Elve mean?
Elve is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1915. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Elve in 2026?
In 2026, Elve ranks #4,411 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Elve most popular?
Elve reached its peak popularity in 1915, ranking #3,795 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Elve a unisex name?
Yes — Elve is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 64% of Elves assigned female and 36% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Elve?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Elve include Pruda, Zanie, Willmetta. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Elve

Elve is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 28 births in the dataset. Elve's peak popularity came in 1915 when it ranked #3,795. Use the chart and map above to compare Elve'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.