Meaning & Origin
A surname transferred from the given name.
Elmer is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, derived from the Anglo-Saxon name Æðelmær, combining æðel ('noble') and mær ('famous'), meaning 'noble and famous.' It passed through Norman influence as a surname before returning to given-name use in the 19th century.
Elmer peaked in the U.S. top 20 around 1890–1910. Elmer Fudd may have given it a cartoon association, but the name also carries the weight of Sinclair Lewis's Elmer Gantry and generations of real American pioneers. It's one of the most genuinely vintage options available.