NameRealm
Elmo

Elmo: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“helmet, protection”
Origin
Germanic
Say it
EL-moh · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys (98% of all uses)

Short form of names such as Ermo or Erasmus in some traditions, but as a given name it is commonly linked with Saint Elmo, from the Italian form Erasmo/Ermo. The association is partly historical and partly shortened-form usage.

Italian namesEnglish namesNames meaning protectorVintage namesShort names

How popular is Elmo?

20240 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Elmo in 20240

Peak year1916

Total US babies since 188010,338

Elmo was not given to enough US babies in 2024 to appear in the records.

Names like Elmo

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Williamresolute protector · Germanic
  • Henryhome ruler · Germanic
  • Charlesfree man · Germanic
  • Milessoldier or merciful · Germanic
  • Robertbright fame · Germanic
  • Milogracious; dear · Germanic
  • Luisfamous warrior · Germanic
  • Richardbrave ruler · Germanic

Elmo questions

What does the name Elmo mean?

Elmo means "helmet, protection". It comes from Germanic. Short form of names such as Ermo or Erasmus in some traditions, but as a given name it is commonly linked with Saint Elmo, from the Italian form Erasmo/Ermo. The association is partly historical and partly shortened-form usage.

Is Elmo a boy or girl name?

Elmo is mainly a boy's name in US records (98% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Elmo?

Elmo was given to fewer than 5 babies of either sex in 2024; its peak year was 1916.

How do you pronounce Elmo?

Elmo is usually pronounced EL-moh.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.