Alma

Alma - A very unique female name

Alma appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #61. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Alma and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Alma? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Alma. The baby girl name Alma was given to 652 baby girls in 2025, ranking #451 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,999 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Alma peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 61.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Alma, 1-5?

Alma is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Alma is currently topping the baby name charts in Florida at position #209 - and is the least popular in Wisconsin at position #799.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Alma is where you live.

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Alma origin and meaning

Latin (also the Spanish word for 'soul')

'Nourishing, kind' (Latin alma, feminine of almus); in Spanish the same word means 'soul'

Alma was a Victorian favourite, helped by the Battle of Alma in 1854, and peaked in the US in 1918 before fading for decades. Its Latin sense of nourishing kindness, and its Spanish meaning of soul, power its current vintage revival, rising from #564 in 2020 to #451 in 2025.

Attested etymology

Alma is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Alma, pop culture references for the name Alma and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Alma

We've found the following names that sound similar to Alma, sorted by popularity.

Alana / Alaina / Alina / Alayna / Aileen / Alanna / Alani / Aylin / Alena / Aleena /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Alma

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Alma a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Alma?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AL-muh · /ˈælmə/

Around the world

• Alma (Spanish) — Used as-is; the ordinary Spanish word for 'soul'.

Famous bearers

• Alma Mahler — Composer and central figure in Viennese artistic life, wife of Gustav Mahler (1879–1964) Historical

Style

ClassicVintage revivalInternational

Why parents choose it

Alma offers vintage softness with real substance — short, soulful and easy in many languages. Parents rediscovering it like that it feels gentle without being slight.