Elma

Elma - A very unique female name

Elma appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #240. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Elma and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Elma? 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 Elma. The baby girl name Elma was given to 7 baby girls in 2025, ranking #4167 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 186,210 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Elma peaked in popularity 114 years ago in 1912 on position 233.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Elma, 1-5?

Elma is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Elma is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #1,701 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,701.

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 Elma is where you live.

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Elma origin and meaning

Uncertain — multiple sources

Uncertain — used as a short form of Wilhelmine / Wilhelmina (Germanic 'will + helmet'), and coincidentally the Turkish word elma means 'apple'; neither source explains all use

Elma was a steady early-1900s name, peaking in 1918, most often explained as a shortening of Wilhelmina. The identical Turkish word for 'apple' is a separate coincidence. With two live sources, the derivation is flagged uncertain.

Origin uncertain

Elma is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Elma

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

Elaine / Ellen / Eileen / Elena / Eliana / Elaina / Elliana / Elianna / Elana / Ellianna /

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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 Elma

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 Elma 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 Elma?

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

EL-muh · /ˈɛlmə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Vintage revivalShort form

Why parents choose it

A quiet vintage short name from the Wilhelmina era, now very rare.

Worth knowing

• Easily confused with Alma and Velma.