Holding steady.
Popularity of Elby since 1886
Babies named Elby per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Elby's real moment was 1886.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6 |
| 1890s | 0 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 45 |
| 1920s | 85 |
| 1930s | 54 |
| 1940s | 42 |
| 1950s | 11 |
| 1960s | 13 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Elby is a rare given name that first appeared in U.S. Social Security records in 1886, its peak and only recorded year of use (a peak shared by many extremely rare names). The name has never been among the top 1000 names in any decade, and it remains stable but nearly nonexistent over time. Its one-in-N estimation is null because too few babies received the name to calculate a meaningful rate. Elby is most likely a diminutive of longer El- names, offering a concise and unpretentious choice for parents seeking an uncommon name.
Elby is likely an English given name of obscure origin. It may have arisen as a diminutive or pet form of older names like Elbert (from Germanic 'adal' meaning noble and 'beraht' meaning bright) or Elmer (from Old English 'æthel' meaning noble and 'mǣre' meaning famous). The name appears in U.S. records as early as the 1880s, though it has never been common, ranking among the least popular names in the Social Security data.
Sibling names for Elby
Names that share Elby's style, for a brother or sister.
