From an Italian contraction of Erasmo, cognate with Erasmus. Also a German short form of Elmar.
* By folk etymology seen as a short form of Elmer.
Meanings
A male given name from Italian.
MING. About his name. Oscar. Asians always pick out the most curious and most discarded English names from books and TV. Like Cornelius. Elmo. Wellington. 1996 Chay Yew, A Language of Their Own, Two Plays, Grove/Atlantic Inc.
A city in Missouri.
An unincorporated community in Texas.
A town in Utah.
An unincorporated community in Wisconsin.
(derogatory, humorous) A nickname for South African-born tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.
Incredible how low Twitter has sunk since Elmo fired the grownups. 2023 March 19, Alice (@alicek@mas.to), Mastodon:
It is certainly conceivable that Elmo’s ragtag of leftover desperate engineers put out a feature without properly testing it. 😂 2023 February 8, Jim Stewartson (@jimstewartson@toad.social), Mastodon:
Twitter was far from perfect before Elmo happened to it but it’s a total shitshow now! 2022 December 12, marie_cast (@marie_cast@toad.social), Mastodon:
ar إِلْمُو (male given name) · cmn 埃爾摩 /埃尔摩 (male given name) · fi Elmo (male given name) · cmn 埃爾莫 /埃尔莫 (male given name) · pt Telmo (male given name) · ar أَلْمُو (male given name) · pl Elmo (male given name) · ru Элмо (male given name) · ja エルモ (male given name) · ko 엘모 (male given name)
(qualifier:genericized trademark) A document camera.
Students bring their math work under the Elmo to share with other students to discuss their thoughts. 2009, Kate Popejoy, “New Outcomes: Learning Improvement in Mathematics Integrating Technology - NO LIMIT! An Enhancing Education through Technology Project. Final Report: Years Five and Six (2005-2007)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), ERIC:
Courtrooms in the United States District Court for the Central District of California have DVD/VCR equipment and an Electronic Evidence Presenter (sometimes referred to as an "ELMO") for attorneys to use when presenting evidence at trial or evidentiary hearings. 2010s, “Presenting Evidence”, in Clerk Services, United States District Court for the Central District of California:
Someone had to tell me when the paper was positioned correctly under the elmo (document camera). 1998 April 21, Joan M. Whitworth, quoting Dr. Kern (pseudonymous), “Looking at Distance Learning through Both Ends of the Camera”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), ERIC:
The teacher can ask students to categorize the new information on the graphic organizer as they go through the text and the video, and then model this activity on an Elmo or overhead projector during the lesson, thus providing another means of visual support 2011, Sally A. Spencer, “Universal Design for Learning: Assistance for Teachers in Today's Inclusive Classrooms”, in Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning, ERIC:
You know, in the courtroom, I used to have a little ELMO (an electronic evidence presenter) machine and there is absolutely nothing simpler than ELMO-ing. You put in the piece of paper and hit a button and the image is projected. But I can't tell you how many lawyers approached the ELMO as if they were approaching a cobra! 2015 September 8, Robert Hilson, John Facciola, “Judge Facciola: I'm not in the business of supporting an industry”, in Logikcull, Logik:
A character who is irritating to many but very popular with children, especially a character who joined a show late in its run.
The Esmond Mills made baby blankets and, in a stroke of marketing genius, published a little book in 1924 designed to be read aloud to children. Called The Tale of Bunny Esmond, it was about an adorable bunny that was always cold until somebody wrapped him in a Bunny Esmond blanket. By a strange coincidence, Esmond Mills made a baby blanket that had Bunny's image printed on it. Bunny Esmond was the Elmo of his day. The Esmond blankets were softer than most, and in 1943, the author would have killed with his tiny fists anyone who tried to take his Bunny Esmond blanket away from him. 2012, Frank Heppner, Railroads of Rhode Island: Shaping the Ocean State's Railways, History Press:
Jeff Sokol is the Elmo of To Catch a Predator 2025 June 6, anonymous author, “Jeff Sokol is the Elmo of To Catch a Predator”, in reddit.com:
That little upended trash can is the Elmo of Star Wars. He’s inexplicably popular despite being intensely irritating. 2012 July 13, Esther Inglis-Arkell, “10 Robots With Good Reasons to Rise Up Against Humanity”, in Gizmodo, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2026: