Elder is an English surname and word name that means "older" or "senior", from the Old English eldra, and also names the elder tree with its white flowers and dark berries; among Latter-day Saints it is the title of a missionary. It is also used as a given name in parts of Central America, which explains much of its use in the United States. Elder peaked at number 2,259 in 2006 and ranks number 2,725 among boys in 2025, with 47 births.