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. However, it continues in use for newborn boys in the United States, where 167 boys born there in 2022 received the name. The name is common in the United States and Canada. Elmar, a variant, was among the 10 most popular names for newborn boys in Iceland in 2021.
Notable people with the name include:
Mononym
Eilmer of Malmesbury (or Elmer), 11th-century English Benedictine monk
Elmer (rapper), Dutch rapper Merel Pauw
In North American amateur radio subculture, an Elmer is a mentor to a newcoming amateur radio operator
Given name
Elmer L. Andersen (1909–2004), American businessman, philanthropist, and the 30th governor of Minnesota Elmer Bernstein (1922–2004), American composer Elmer Bischoff (1916–1991), American painter W. Elmer Brandon (1906–1956), Canadian politician, known by his middle name Elmer Davis (1890–1958), news reporter, author, director of the United States Office of War Information during World War II Elmer Dessens (born 1971), major league baseball relief pitcher Elmer Diktonius (1896–1961), Finnish writer and composer Elmer E. Ellsworth (1837–1861), lawyer and soldier, and the first conspicuous casualty of the American Civil War Elmer Flick (1876–1971), American hall-of-fame baseball player Elemér Gorondy-Novák (1885–1954), Hungarian military officer, who served as commander of the Hungarian Third Army during the Second World War, leader of Hungarian forces during Invasion of Yugoslavia Elmer Gedeon (1917–1944), American baseball player Elmer Grey (1872–1963), American architect and artist Elmer E. Hall, brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps Elmer Beseler Harris (1939–2019), American businessman and politician Elmer Cameron Hawley (1905–1969), American novelist Elmer Keith (1899–1984), American firearms cartridge designer and author Elmer Kelton (1926–2009), American journalist and writer, particularly of Western novels Elmer Lach (1918–2015), Canadian ice hockey player Elmer Layden (1903–1973), commissioner of the National Football League and head football coach at the University of Notre Dame Elmer Lowry (1919–1989), American actor and vaudevillian Elmer MacKay (born 1936), Canadian politician Elmer McCurdy (1880–1911), American outlaw whose corpse was put on exhibit Elmer Drew Merrill (1876–1956), American botanist Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, (1947–2011) Vietnam veteran and high-ranking member of the Black Panther Party Elmer Rees (1941–2019), Welsh mathematician Elmer Rice (1892–1967), American playwright Elmer Riddle (1914–1984), baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds Elmer Snowden (1900–1973), American jazz musician Elmer Ambrose Sperry (1860–1930), American inventor and entrepreneur Elmer Steele (1886–1966), American baseball player Elmer Valo (1921–1998), major league baseball player, coach, and scout Uncle Elmer, American wrestler, born Stanley Fraizer