Wilma is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Wilma means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Wilma across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Wilma has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Wilma is a girl name of Germanic origin meaning “resolute protector”. a short form of Wilhelmina.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 140,855 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 76 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 93 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3 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 Wilma per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1925 (4,202/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (19/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2025 (12/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1974 (3/yr).
Wilma has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1925, when it ranked #112 nationally (given to 4,202 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
William · Alma · Elma · Williemae · Willam · Ulma · Wylma · Willem
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