Given name
Alima
Alima is used as a given name. One Arabic interpretation is “sea maiden; one who is learned in music and dance.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “sea maiden; one who is learned in music and dance.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1976. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Alima through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 495
- 0 boys · 495 girls
- Most popular year
- 2018
- 25 babies
- 2025
- 18
- #6,337 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −3%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 18 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,337 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 25 in 2018. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 640 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Alima’s family of names
Alima has a related form in Aleema. Alima has a related form in Aleama. Alima has a related form in Aleamah.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Aleemahvariant
- Aleemavariant
- Alimahvariant
- Allimalikely variant
- Aleamahvariant
- Aleamavariant
- Aleimahvariant
- Aleimavariant
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People named Alima
- Alima MahamaGhanaian lawyer, a politician and former member of Parliament for Nalerigu Gambaga Constituencyborn 1957
- Alima MoroGhanaian football playerborn 1983
- Alima Boumediene-ThieryFrench politicianborn 1956
- Alima DembéléMalian basketball player (born 2000)
- Alima OuattaraIvorian athletics competitorborn 1988
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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