A 1910s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Elwyn since 1893
Babies named Elwyn per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1924, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Elwyn's real moment was 1912.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 31 |
| 1900s | 56 |
| 1910s | 533 |
| 1920s | 890 |
| 1930s | 617 |
| 1940s | 422 |
| 1950s | 270 |
| 1960s | 113 |
| 1970s | 71 |
| 1980s | 30 |
| 1990s | 22 |
| 2000s | 37 |
| 2010s | 72 |
| 2020s | 67 |
Meaning & origin
Elwyn is a rare masculine name with uncertain origins, possibly rooted in Old English or Welsh elements meaning "elf friend" or "noble friend." First recorded in U.S. data in 1893, it saw its peak popularity in 1912, during the 1910s decade in which it was given to more babies than in any other period. Since 2013, the name has been on an upward trajectory, though it remains uncommon: in 2025, it ranked 6,446 and was given to about 1 in every 131,390 boys. Its revival suggests a modest rediscovery by parents seeking a distinctive, vintage-sounding name with a soft, accessible sound.
Elwyn may derive from the Old English elements "ælf" (elf) and "wine" (friend), thus "elf friend." It could also be a variant of the Welsh name Elwin or Alwyn, which is often interpreted as "noble friend" from the Welsh element "ael" (noble). The name has been in occasional use in English-speaking countries since the late 19th century, but it has never been common.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: El, Wyn
Sibling names for Elwyn
Names that share Elwyn's style, for a brother or sister.
