Elwood
- Meaning
- Elder-tree wood
- Origin
- English
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What does Elwood mean?
Elwood means “Elder-tree wood”.
Elwood comes from an English surname associated with a place name meaning elder-tree wood. The elder is the flowering shrub or small tree known for its blossoms and berries. The name’s older image is therefore a particular kind of woodland, rather than simply the modern English words el and wood placed together.
Elwood has memorable fictional bearers in very different stories: Elwood P. Dowd is the central character in Harvey, and Elwood Blues is one of The Blues Brothers. These connections give the older landscape surname an additional theatrical and musical life. As a first name, Elwood preserves the full surname form, with a clearly audible woodland ending and an established history beyond recent nature-name fashion.
Nicknames & variations
No nicknames or variations are listed for Elwood yet.
How popular is Elwood?
United States · 2025Explore how often Elwood is used and how its ranking has changed.
- US boys rank
- #1,921 2025 · #1 is most popular
- Boys named Elwood
- 81 Recorded births in 2025
- Change in births
- 14.1% More than 2024
Elwood over time
United States · Boys
Recorded births
Hover or tap the chart, or move the slider. You can also use the keyboard arrow keys.
Yearly data & usage
Rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys. The summary highlights boys, the most common recorded usage in 2025.
| Year | Usage | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | #1,921 | 81 |
| 2024 | Boys | #2,104 | 71 |
| 2023 | Boys | #3,021 | 41 |
| 2022 | Boys | #2,931 | 43 |
| 2021 | Boys | #2,595 | 50 |
| 2020 | Boys | #2,856 | 42 |
| 2019 | Boys | #3,440 | 33 |
| 2018 | Boys | #3,011 | 39 |
| 2017 | Boys | #2,812 | 43 |
| 2016 | Boys | #2,485 | 51 |
| 2015 | Boys | #2,440 | 52 |
| 2014 | Boys | #3,107 | 36 |
Years reflect available birth records. Missing records do not mean zero births.
Names like Elwood
Explore the connection, then save your favorites to compare.
James
Mostly boys- Meaning
- Supplanter
Shares an origin with Elwood.
Jack
Mostly boys- Meaning
- God is gracious
Shares an origin with Elwood.
Hudson
Mostly boys- Meaning
- Hugh's son
Shares an origin with Elwood.
Julian
Mostly boys- Meaning
- Uncertain; proposed meanings include youthful or downy-bearded
Shares an origin with Elwood.
Cooper
Mostly boys- Meaning
- Barrel maker
Shares an origin with Elwood.
Jackson
Mostly boys- Meaning
- Son of Jack
Shares an origin with Elwood.
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