Holding steady.
Popularity of Elmire since 1880
Babies named Elmire per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1906, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Elmire's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 17 |
| 1890s | 41 |
| 1900s | 55 |
| 1910s | 58 |
| 1920s | 36 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 6 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Elmire has a distinguished literary pedigree, appearing as the clever wife in Molière's "Tartuffe" (1664). The name first appeared on U.S. birth records in 1880, with its peak year of usage also in 1880. Since then, Elmire has remained rare, with a trajectory that has been stable, indicating minimal use over subsequent decades. It was never listed among the top 1,000 names. The name did not appear in any top state data. For parents drawn to rare, literary names with a French classicism, Elmire offers a distinctive choice that avoids popular trends while carrying a subtle cultural resonance.
Elmire first appears in Molière's 1664 play "Tartuffe" as the name of a virtuous wife. It may derive from a variant of Elvira (Spanish and Germanic origin, meaning "all true") or be a feminization of Elmer (Old English origin, meaning "noble famous"). The name enjoyed modest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the United States, but has since become extremely rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: El, Ellie, Mira
Variants: Elmira
Sibling names for Elmire
Names that share Elmire's style, for a brother or sister.
