Given name & surname · also Latin
Alma
“one who is nurturing and kind”·“refers to the soul”
Alma is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is nurturing and kind” and “refers to the soul”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is nurturing and kind” and “refers to the soul”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Latin, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Alma through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 165,942
- 2,219 boys · 163,723 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 3,702 babies
- 2025
- 696
- #449 for girls · #9,766 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +41%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 689 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 449 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 41.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,650 in 1918. It also appeared in 7 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (99). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 102,369 as a first name in 2020; 606 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Alma’s family of names
In German usage, Alma has a related form in Elma. Alma has a related form in Almah. Alma has a related form in Almanzo.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Alma has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
3 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Alma
- Alma MahlerAustrian composer, art collector, author, editor, and socialite (1879-1964)
- Alma DeutscherBritish composer, pianist and violinistborn 2005
- Alma RevilleEnglish film editor and screenwriter (1899–1982)
- Alma KarlinSlovenian academic and poet (1889–1950)
- Alma ZadićAustrian lawyer and politicianborn 1984
- Katarina FrostensonSwedish poet, member of the Swedish Academyborn 1953
- Alma CoganBritish pop singer (1932–1966)
- Alma RichardsAmerican Olympic high jump gold medalist athlete, soldier, lawyer and teacher (1890–1963)
- Alma RubensAmerican actress (1897-1931)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Alma, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Ramona
“one who offers wise protection” · “a wise protector”
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