Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Willma isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1898. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Willma through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 673
- 0 boys · 673 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 27 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 6 in 1965. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 27 in 1918. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 341 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.
Willma’s family of names
Willma may belong to the same name family as Wilma. This is a tentative spelling connection.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Willma, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ilma
“determined protector”
>99% girls
Irma
“a universal woman”
>99% girls
Zelma
“having divine protection”
>99% girls
Elma
“having God's protection”
>99% girls
Selma
“having divine protection” · “peace”
>99% girls
Velma
“determined protector”
>99% girls
Thelma
“one who is ambitious and willful”
>99% girls
Lilla
Lilla is a variant of Lily. One English interpretation is “resembling the flower; one who is innocent and beautiful.”
>99% girls