Given name
Irma
“a universal woman”
Irma is used as a given name. One German interpretation is “a universal woman.”
Original GermanIrmelin
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “a universal woman.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
Irma is an affectionate form of Irmtraud.
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
Irma through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 74,021
- 252 boys · 73,769 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 1,393 babies
- 2025
- 50
- #3,181 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 50 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,181 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,393 in 1920. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (7 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 84,440 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.
Irma’s family of names
Irma is an affectionate form of Irmtraud. In English usage, Irma shares a linguistic root with Emma. In English usage, Irma has a related form in Erma.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Irma has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Irma
- Irma GreseGerman concentration camp guard (1923–1945)
- Irma ThomasAmerican soul and rhythm and blues singerborn 1941
- Irma TestaItalian boxerborn 1997
- Irma SerranoMexican singer, actress, politician, theatre entrepreneur and author (1933–2023)
- Irma SternSouth African artist (1894-1966)
- Irma JohanssonSwedish cross-country skierborn 1932
- Irma Heijting-Schuhmacherswimmer (1925–2014)
- Irma P. HallAmerican actressborn 1935
- Irma VitovskaUkrainian actressborn 1974
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Irma, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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