Norma is a female given name of Latin origin and meaning "normal" or "standard". It was created by the Italian poet Giovanni Boccaccio for his character Normilla in his collection of tales, the Decameron. The name became popular in England during the late Middle Ages after the publication of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, which featured a character named Normunda.
The name Norma has been used throughout history and across different cultures. In ancient Rome, it was used as a family name, with some notable examples including the gens Norba, an ancient patrician family that traced its origins back to the mythical hero Numa Pompilius. The name was also popular among early Christians, with Saint Norma being venerated in Italy and other parts of Europe.
In more modern times, the name Norma has been associated with a number of notable figures. For example, the famous Italian opera singer Maria Callas was born Anna Maria Cecilie Sofia Kalergi but performed under the stage name Maria Callas-Norma. The name has also been used as a literary device in works by authors such as Gustave Flaubert and Oscar Wilde.
Overall, the name Norma is of Latin origin and meaning, with a long history of use across different cultures and time periods. While it may have fallen out of fashion in recent decades, it remains a strong and distinctive name option for parents looking to give their daughters a unique and meaningful name.
Between the years of 1908 and 1993, there were a total of 1,278 babies named Norma born in the United States each year. The number of babies named Norma varied greatly over this period.
During the early part of the 20th century, around ten to twenty babies were named Norma each year. However, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, there was a significant increase in popularity for the name Norma. The peak of this trend occurred in 1932 with 44 births, making it the most popular year for the name Norma during this time period.
After reaching its peak popularity, the number of babies named Norma began to decline gradually over subsequent decades. Between the years of 1950 and 1986, there were consistently fewer than twenty babies named Norma born each year in the United States.
Interestingly, there was a brief resurgence in popularity for the name Norma during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Between the years of 1976 and 1982, there were consistently more than ten babies named Norma born each year, with a high of nineteen births in 1982.
However, this resurgence was short-lived, as the number of babies named Norma began to decline once again during the late 1980s. Between the years of 1987 and 1993, there were consistently fewer than ten babies named Norma born each year in the United States.
Overall, while the name Norma has had its ups and downs in popularity over the past century, it remains a timeless and classic choice for parents looking to honor their daughters with a traditional and elegant name.