Boy · #3,077 in 2026

Elves

An elf is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda.

Current Rank
#3,077
Peak Rank
#3,077 (1960)
Total Babies
14
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1921
First Year
1960
Last Year
1960
Peak Year
#3077
Peak Rank
14
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Elves

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

An elf is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
A chart showing how the sound of the word elf has changed in the history of English The English word elf is from the Old English word most often attested as ælf (whose plural would have been * ælfe ). Although this word took a variety of forms in different Old English dialects, these converged on the form elf during the Middle English period. During the Old English period, separate forms were used for female elves (such as ælfen , putatively from Proto-Germanic * * ɑlβ(i)innjō ), but during the Middle English period the word elf routinely came to include female beings. The Old English forms ar

The Story of Elves

Elves first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1921, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 8 Elvess were born — ranking #3,077 that year. As of 2026, Elves ranks #3,077 for baby boys with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 14 Elvess have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
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OR
ID
SD
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OH
PA
NJ
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Elves

Phonetically similar names — useful when Elves 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 Elves

What does the name Elves mean?
An elf is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda.
How popular is Elves in 2026?
In 2026, Elves ranks #3,077 among boys' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Elves most popular?
Elves reached its peak popularity in 1960, ranking #3,077 that year with 8 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Elves most popular?
Elves has historically been most popular in Pennsylvania. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Elves.
Is Elves a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Elves is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Elves?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Elves include Loranzo, Emeal, Donnal. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Loranzo
Peak #3077
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Emeal
Peak #3077
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Donnal
Peak #3077
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Reynoldo
Peak #3077
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Rocke
Peak #3077
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Ledon
Peak #3077
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Lonne
Peak #3077
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Juda
Peak #3077

About the name Elves

Elves is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1921 and has accumulated 14 births in the dataset. Elves's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #3,077. Use the chart and map above to compare Elves'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.