Elwanda
A girl's name of German origin with 1,272 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
At 7 letters and three syllables, Elwanda hits the middle ground most parents look for: long enough to feel complete, short enough for everyday use. It has been used as a girl's name in the U.S. since 1920, with 1,272 total recorded births.
Elwanda is not in the current top 1,000, which means your child is unlikely to share the name with a classmate — a plus for parents who value distinctiveness.
Elwanda is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Elwanda is a girl's baby name of German origin, a combination of the prefix El- (from names like Eleanor or Elizabeth, meaning 'bright') with Wanda, from the Polish/Slavic name meaning 'wanderer' or tribe of the Wends.
Elwanda was most popular in the American South from the 1920s through the 1950s, part of a tradition of combining familiar name elements into something distinctive. It carries a warm, slightly formal Southern character that feels genuinely vintage today.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Elwanda's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Elwanda follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Elwanda's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Elwanda has 51+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1920.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 60 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 111 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 253 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 332 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 499 | — |
The Story of Elwanda
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1921, Elwanda is a name steeped in history. Girls named Elwanda are most likely born between 1920 and 1931.
How rare is Elwanda?
With 1,272 total births on record, Elwanda remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1920, peaked in the 1920s with 499 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Elwanda by the numbers
- Would fill 27 school buses
- Meeting one Elwanda per day would take 3.5 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(51 years, 1920–1977)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 6 | #8758 |
| 1974 | 6 | #7979 |
| 1972 | 5 | #8642 |
| 1968 | 6 | #6467 |
| 1966 | 9 | #4603 |
| 1965 | 7 | #5445 |
| 1964 | 7 | #5630 |
| 1963 | 6 | #6070 |
| 1962 | 6 | #6077 |
| 1961 | 10 | #4339 |
| 1960 | 9 | #4550 |
| 1959 | 9 | #4396 |
| 1958 | 8 | #4627 |
| 1957 | 7 | #5046 |
| 1956 | 9 | #4255 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4868 |
| 1954 | 13 | #3204 |
| 1953 | 17 | #2622 |
| 1952 | 14 | #2960 |
| 1951 | 17 | #2509 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elwanda a boy's or girl's name?
When was Elwanda most popular?
How popular is the name Elwanda?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1920–1977