Elwood

Elwood - A very unique male name

Elwood appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #256. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Elwood and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Elwood? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Elwood. The baby boy name Elwood was given to 27 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2176 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 54,307 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Elwood peaked in popularity 111 years ago in 1915 on position 206.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Elwood, 1-5?

Elwood is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Elwood is currently topping the baby name charts in Washington at position #832 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,879.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Elwood is where you live.

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Elwood origin and meaning

English — transferred surname

A surname, probably from an Old English place name meaning "elder-tree wood"

Elwood was a solidly used name in the early 1900s, peaking in 1921, then faded almost out of use. Its rank has risen notably since 2020, in line with the revival of other grandfatherly names.

Origin uncertain

Elwood is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Elwood, pop culture references for the name Elwood and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Elwood

We've found the following names that sound similar to Elwood, sorted by popularity.

Elliott / Elliot / Eliot / Eliud / Eladio / Ellwood / Eliott / Ewald / Eldo / Elad /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Elwood

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Elwood a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Elwood?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

EL-wud · /ˈɛlwʊd/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Woody

Famous bearers

• Elwood Blues — Fictional musician played by Dan Aykroyd in The Blues Brothers (Fictional, 1980) Fictional
• Elwood P. Dowd — Fictional hero of Harvey, the gentle man whose friend is an invisible rabbit (Fictional, 1950) Fictional

Style

SurnameVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Elwood is a true vintage revival candidate — dignified, wooden-toned, and almost unused for decades until its recent uptick.

Worth knowing

• The Blues Brothers and Harvey associations are strong for older generations.