Elverda
An English feminine name derived from the Old English "ælf" and "hild" meaning "elf battle".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Elverda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elverda today is around 86 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elverda births was 1929 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elverda. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Elverda is about 86 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Elverdas were born before 1950.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Elverda. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1929
11 babies that year
Average age
86
years old
1934 SSA rank
#4,464
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Elverda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elverda from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 63 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elverda by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Elverda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Elverda
The name Elverda is a relatively obscure one, with its origins shrouded in mystery. Some scholars believe it may have originated from the Old Norse language, potentially deriving from the words "elf" and "verda," which could loosely translate to "elf protector" or "guardian of the elves." However, definitive evidence of its linguistic roots remains elusive.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding its etymology, there are a few historical references to individuals bearing the name Elverda. One of the earliest recorded instances dates back to the 12th century, where an Elverda of Lincolnshire is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a prestigious census conducted in England during the reign of William the Conqueror.
In the realm of literature, the name Elverda makes a brief appearance in the 16th-century play "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare. One of the minor characters, a servant, is referred to as Elverda, although her role is relatively insignificant in the greater context of the play.
Moving forward in time, the 19th century saw the birth of Elverda Graves (1854-1926), an American educator and suffragist. A staunch advocate for women's rights, Graves played a pivotal role in establishing the Women's Christian Temperance Union in her home state of Missouri.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the name was Elverda Gress (1903-1982), a groundbreaking American aviator. In 1932, Gress became the first woman to fly solo across the Rocky Mountains, cementing her place in the annals of aviation history.
Lastly, the 20th century witnessed the life of Elverda Faye (1920-2003), a celebrated American dancer and choreographer. Faye's choreographic works were widely acclaimed, and she was recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Dance Magazine Award in 1976.
While the name Elverda may have faded into relative obscurity in recent times, its historical journey serves as a testament to the diverse and intriguing stories that can be found within the depths of onomastics, the study of names.
People
Elverda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elverda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Elverda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elverda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elverda going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Elverda a common name?
We classify Elverda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 119 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elverda most popular?
The single biggest year for Elverda was 1929, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elverda is about 86 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Elverda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elverda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elverda in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Elverda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elverda in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Elverda can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Elverda as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people share the name Elverda, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.