Given name & surname
Delma
“a noble protector”
Delma is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “a noble protector.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “a noble protector.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
In Irish use, Delma is used as a shortened form of Fidelma.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Delma through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,901
- 1,447 boys · 8,454 girls
- Most popular year
- 1926
- 250 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 15% boys.
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 5 in 2023. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 205 in 1926. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,156 as a first name in 2020; 214 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.
Delma’s family of names
In English usage, Delma is a diminutive of ADELMA. Delma has a related form in Delmy. Delma has a related form in Delmi.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Delma
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Delma, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Emmer
“grain”
1% boys · 99% girls
Erma
“one who is complete; universal”
>99% girls
Elois
“one who is famous in battle”
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Velma
“determined protector”
>99% girls
Wilma
“determined protector”
>99% girls
Hilma
“one who is protected”
>99% girls
Tilda
“one who is mighty in battle”
>99% girls
Alda
“long-lived, old; wise; an elder”
>99% girls