The first name Velma
A girl’s name.
Pronounced /ˈvɛlmə/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Coined at the end of the 19th century, by analogy with Thelma and Wilma.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Velma at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 21 girls born in the United States were named Velma, the 5,903rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 2,606 were.
87,202
babies named Velma since 1880
#5,903
rank in 2025
1921
peak year
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 Velma
5 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Velma BarfieldAmerican serial killer (1932-1984)
- Velma DunnDiver (1918–2007)
- Velma MiddletonAmerican singer (1917–1961)
- Velma WallisAmerican writer, Gwich'in people, born 1960
- Lyn McClementsAustralian swimmer, Olympic gold medallist, born 1951
Questions
- What does the name Velma mean?
- Coined at the end of the 19th century, by analogy with Thelma and Wilma.
- Is Velma a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 87,202 US babies named Velma since 1880 were girls.
- When was Velma most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 2,606 babies were named Velma, its highest rank at 108th.
- How do you pronounce Velma?
- Velma is /ˈvɛlmə/, 2 syllables.