When was Elmer most popular?

The name Elmer reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.

What are the origins of the name Elmer Rowell?

The name Elmer Rowell combines two different traditions: the first name Elmer has Germanic roots, while the surname Rowell originates from English.

Elmer Rowell — 111K & 16K bearers

Elmer Rowell is a name that combines Germanic origins. The first name Elmer is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. Elmer is a name of Germanic British origin. The given name originated as a surname, a medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, derived from Old English æþel (noble) and mær (famous). It was adopted as a given name in the United States, "in honor of the popularity of the brothers Ebenezer and Jonathan Elmer, leading supporters of the American Revolution". The name has declined in popularity since the first decades of the 20th century and fell out of the top 1,000 names used for American boys in 2009. The surname Rowell: Bama Rowell (1916–1993), American baseball player Chester Rowell (1844–1912), physician, founder of the Fresno Republican newspaper, California State Senator, and University of California Regent; brother of Jonathan Chester Harvey Rowell (1867–1948), editor and then manager of the Fresno Morning Republican; son of Jonathan Fred Rowell (1918–1988), English footballer Galen Rowell (1940–2002), American wilderness photographer and climber Gary Rowell (1957–2025), English football player and commentator Geoffrey Rowell (1943–2017), Anglican cleric, third Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe George P. Elmer is a distinctive first name, carried by approximately 111K people globally, with the highest concentration in United States. The name Elmer reached peak popularity in the 1970s, reflecting the naming trends of that era.

Etymology & Origin

First Name: Elmer

Germanic

Elmer is a name of Germanic British origin. The given name originated as a surname, a medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, derived from Old English æþel (noble) and mær (famous). It was adopted as a given name in the United States, "in honor of the popularity of the brothers Ebenezer and Jonathan Elmer, leading supporters of the American Revolution". The name has declined in popularity since the first decades of the 20th century and fell out of the top 1,000 names used for American boys in 2009.

Surname: Rowell

English

Bama Rowell (1916–1993), American baseball player Chester Rowell (1844–1912), physician, founder of the Fresno Republican newspaper, California State Senator, and University of California Regent; brother of Jonathan Chester Harvey Rowell (1867–1948), editor and then manager of the Fresno Morning Republican; son of Jonathan Fred Rowell (1918–1988), English footballer Galen Rowell (1940–2002), American wilderness photographer and climber Gary Rowell (1957–2025), English football player and commentator Geoffrey Rowell (1943–2017), Anglican cleric, third Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe George P.

Geographic Distribution

The first name Elmer is distributed across the globe, with the highest concentrations in the following countries:

United States 51%

United Kingdom 27%

Australia 12%

Canada 10%

Popularity Over Time

Popularity of the name Elmer by decade, based on birth registration data:

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notable People Named Elmer Rowell

People listed above share this name. Listed for informational purposes only. Source: Wikipedia.

Numerology

According to Pythagorean numerology, each letter in a name carries a numerical value. Here are the key numbers for Elmer Rowell:

3

Expression Number

Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.

3

Soul Urge Number

Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.

9

Personality Number

Compassion and humanitarianism. A generous, idealistic nature with a sincere desire to improve the world.

Numerology is a cultural tradition for exploring symbolism in names. Results are for entertainment purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the origin of the first name Elmer?: The first name Elmer originates from Germanic. Elmer is a name of Germanic British origin. The given name originated as a surname, a medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, derived from Old English æþel (noble) and mær (famous). It was adopted as a given name in the United States, "in honor of the popularity of the brothers Ebenezer and Jonathan Elmer, leading supporters of the American Revolution". The name has declined in popularity since the first decades of the 20th century and fell out of the top 1,000 names used for American boys in 2009.
When was Elmer most popular?: The name Elmer reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.
What is the origin of the surname Rowell?: The surname Rowell originates from English. Bama Rowell (1916–1993), American baseball player Chester Rowell (1844–1912), physician, founder of the Fresno Republican newspaper, California State Senator, and University of California Regent; brother of Jonathan Chester Harvey Rowell (1867–1948), editor and then manager of the Fresno Morning Republican; son of Jonathan Fred Rowell (1918–1988), English footballer Galen Rowell (1940–2002), American wilderness photographer and climber Gary Rowell (1957–2025), English football player and commentator Geoffrey Rowell (1943–2017), Anglican cleric, third Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe George P.
What are the origins of the name Elmer Rowell?: The name Elmer Rowell combines two different traditions: the first name Elmer has Germanic roots, while the surname Rowell originates from English.