Thelma is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Thelma means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Thelma across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Thelma has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Thelma is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “of uncertain origin, possibly will or wish”. coined by the novelist Marie Corelli.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 226,602 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 114 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 228 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Thelma per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (7,871/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1975 (17/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2025 (10/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1976 (3/yr).
Thelma has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #54 nationally (given to 7,871 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
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