The first name Elma
A girl’s name.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
A 19th-century creation, usually explained as a form of Wilhelmina or Italian Guglielma. It has also been recorded as a blend of Elizabeth and Mary.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 31 girls were named Elma, making it the 1,079th most popular girls’ name.
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Elma with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Elma at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 32 girls born in the United States were named Elma, the 4,384th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 659 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Elma
2 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Elma MurosFilipino long jumper, born 1967
- Elma de VriesDutch speed skater, born 1983
Questions
- What does the name Elma mean?
- A 19th-century creation, usually explained as a form of Wilhelmina or Italian Guglielma. It has also been recorded as a blend of Elizabeth and Mary.
- How popular is the name Elma?
- In 2025, 31 girls born in England and Wales were named Elma, ranking 1,079th.
- Is Elma a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 98% of the 22,186 US babies named Elma since 1880 were girls.
- When was Elma most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 659 babies were named Elma, its highest rank at 249th.