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Name Lineage

    The first name Elmo

    A boy’s name from Italian.

    Pronounced /ˈɛlmoʊ/ 2 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    Italian origin

    From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus. Also a German short form of Elmar. * By folk etymology seen as a short form of Elmer.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Elmo last appeared in the official list in 2007, given to 5 boys.

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    8
    babies named Elmo, 1996–2025
    #3,095
    rank in 2007
    2007
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Elmo with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Elmo at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2023, 5 boys born in the United States were named Elmo, the 12,781st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1920, when 397 were.

    0200400 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    10,338
    babies named Elmo since 1880
    #12,781
    rank in 2023
    1920
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Elmo in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    إِلْمُو
    ʔilmū
    Arabic, also أَلْمُو
    埃爾莫 /埃尔莫
    Āi'ěrmò
    Chinese, also 埃爾摩 /埃尔摩
    エルモ
    Erumo
    Japanese
    엘모
    Elmo
    Korean
    Telmo
    Portuguese
    Элмо
    Elmo
    Russian

    Spelled Elmo in Finnish and Polish too.

    Famous people named Elmo

    5 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Elmo Lincoln
      American film actor (1889-1952)
    • Elmo Nüganen
      Estonian actor and director of both film and theatre (born 1962)
    • Elmo Williams
      American film editor, producer and director (1913-2015)
    • Elmo Hope
      American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger (1923-1967)
    • Elmo Smith
      American politician (1909-1968)

    More Italian boys’ names

    All 80 names of Italian origin

    Questions

    What does the name Elmo mean?
    From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus. Also a German short form of Elmar. * By folk etymology seen as a short form of Elmer.
    What is the origin of the name Elmo?
    From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus. Also a German short form of Elmar. * By folk etymology seen as a short form of Elmer.
    How popular is the name Elmo?
    In 2007, 5 boys born in England and Wales were named Elmo, ranking 3,095th.
    Is Elmo a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 10,338 US babies named Elmo since 1880 were boys.
    When was Elmo most popular?
    1920 in the United States, when 397 babies were named Elmo, its highest rank at 279th.
    How do you pronounce Elmo?
    Elmo is /ˈɛlmoʊ/, 2 syllables.