Elwood Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EL-wood //ˈɛl.wʊd//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: Old English: 'elder tree' or 'from the elder tree forest'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Elwood has its roots in Old English, deriving from the elements "ælle," meaning "noble," and "wudu," meaning "wood." This etymological combination suggests a literal meaning of "noble wood" or "from the noble woods." The name evolved through various forms, with its earliest occurrences in the Anglo-Saxon period, before being recorded in Middle English as "Elwod." The transition into modern English maintained the phonetic structure while adapting to the linguistic shifts of the time. Historically, Elwood appears in various records from the medieval period, with notable mentions in English literature and documentation.
The name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is associated with landholdings in England. Additionally, Elwood has been borne by several notable figures throughout history, including Elwood P.
Dowd, a character in the 1944 play "Harvey" by Mary Chase, which has contributed to its cultural resonance. The name has also been linked to various saints and religious figures, although none are as prominently recognized as those associated with more common names.
Culturally, Elwood carries connotations of strength and nobility, reflective of its etymological roots. The association with nature, specifically woodlands, may evoke imagery of tranquility and resilience, which has allowed the name to endure through centuries.
While diminutive forms such as Woody may arise in informal contexts, the name Elwood itself has retained a sense of formality and historical significance. Overall, Elwood encapsulates a blend of noble heritage and natural imagery, contributing to its lasting appeal in various cultural narratives.
Famous people named Elwood
In this section, you will find notable people named Elwood. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Elwood who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Elwood who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Elwood Blues is a fictional character best known for The Blues Brothers and The Blues Brothers 2000.
Elwood P. Dowd is a fictional character best known for the play and film Harvey.
Fictional characters named Elwood
The following list of fictional characters named Elwood is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Elwood P. Dowd is a fictional character from the play and film Harvey. He is a kind-hearted man who believes in the existence of an invisible rabbit named Harvey, which complicates his social life.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Elwood, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Elwood. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Elwood was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Elwood has ranked as high as #447 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey.
In the past 5 years the name Elwood has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Elwood is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Elwood was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Elwood (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 8 | |
| WI | 6 | |
| WA | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Elwood.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 69 |
| 2023 | 41 |
| 2022 | 43 |
| 2021 | 50 |
| 2020 | 42 |
| 2019 | 33 |
| 2018 | 39 |
| 2017 | 43 |
| 2016 | 51 |
| 2015 | 52 |
| 2014 | 36 |
| 2013 | 29 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2011 | 17 |
| 2010 | 19 |
| 2009 | 15 |
| 2008 | 13 |
| 2007 | 13 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2001 | 11 |
| 2000 | 14 |
| 1999 | 15 |
| 1998 | 15 |
| 1997 | 15 |
| 1996 | 17 |
| 1995 | 7 |
| 1994 | 15 |
| 1993 | 11 |
| 1992 | 11 |
| 1991 | 20 |
| 1990 | 20 |
| 1989 | 29 |
| 1988 | 17 |
| 1987 | 17 |
| 1986 | 21 |
| 1985 | 17 |
| 1984 | 17 |
| 1983 | 19 |
| 1982 | 30 |
| 1981 | 32 |
| 1980 | 34 |
| 1979 | 33 |
| 1978 | 42 |
| 1977 | 25 |
| 1976 | 41 |
| 1975 | 37 |
| 1974 | 39 |
| 1973 | 50 |
| 1972 | 43 |
| 1971 | 57 |
| 1970 | 54 |
| 1969 | 65 |
| 1968 | 66 |
| 1967 | 69 |
| 1966 | 77 |
| 1965 | 75 |
| 1964 | 103 |
| 1963 | 93 |
| 1962 | 108 |
| 1961 | 104 |
| 1960 | 119 |
| 1959 | 120 |
| 1958 | 131 |
| 1957 | 144 |
| 1956 | 153 |
| 1955 | 157 |
| 1954 | 192 |
| 1953 | 164 |
| 1952 | 194 |
| 1951 | 208 |
| 1950 | 179 |
| 1949 | 206 |
| 1948 | 239 |
| 1947 | 270 |
| 1946 | 239 |
| 1945 | 223 |
| 1944 | 253 |
| 1943 | 287 |
| 1942 | 285 |
| 1941 | 303 |
| 1940 | 288 |
| 1939 | 280 |
| 1938 | 315 |
| 1937 | 326 |
| 1936 | 299 |
| 1935 | 314 |
| 1934 | 375 |
| 1933 | 385 |
| 1932 | 375 |
| 1931 | 422 |
| 1930 | 462 |
| 1929 | 405 |
| 1928 | 479 |
| 1927 | 534 |
| 1926 | 542 |
| 1925 | 571 |
| 1924 | 606 |
| 1923 | 566 |
| 1922 | 592 |
| 1921 | 613 |
| 1920 | 586 |
| 1919 | 589 |
| 1918 | 572 |
| 1917 | 528 |
| 1916 | 526 |
| 1915 | 529 |
| 1914 | 373 |
| 1913 | 322 |
| 1912 | 262 |
| 1911 | 114 |
| 1910 | 93 |
| 1909 | 66 |
| 1908 | 59 |
| 1907 | 52 |
| 1906 | 49 |
| 1905 | 36 |
| 1904 | 52 |
| 1903 | 58 |
| 1902 | 33 |
| 1901 | 48 |
| 1900 | 51 |
| 1899 | 34 |
| 1898 | 35 |
| 1897 | 49 |
| 1896 | 35 |
| 1895 | 43 |
| 1894 | 33 |
| 1893 | 29 |
| 1892 | 40 |
| 1891 | 34 |
| 1890 | 24 |
| 1889 | 29 |
| 1888 | 31 |
| 1887 | 24 |
| 1886 | 31 |
| 1885 | 28 |
| 1884 | 26 |
| 1883 | 24 |
| 1882 | 29 |
| 1881 | 29 |
| 1880 | 23 |