Elma is a name of Scandinavian origin, derived from the Old Norse word "almr," which means "nourishing" or "of the Elm tree." It is often used as a shortened form of the name Alma, but can also stand alone as a unique given name.
The name Elma has been popular throughout history, particularly in Scandinavia. In fact, it was the sixth most common female name in Iceland in 2019. However, its popularity has varied over time and across different countries. For example, while it was quite popular in Finland during the early to mid-20th century, its usage has since declined.
Despite its Scandinavian origins, Elma has been used around the world. In Spain, for instance, it is sometimes given as a feminine form of the male name Elmer. In other cases, it may be used simply because parents appreciate its unique sound and meaning.
In terms of its meaning, "nourishing" or "of the Elm tree" could potentially inspire people with the name Elma to be nurturing and grounded like an elm tree. However, as mentioned earlier, this presentation will not discuss any traits associated with the name.
Overall, Elma is a name with a rich history and an intriguing meaning, making it an interesting choice for parents looking for a distinctive name for their daughter.
Based on the provided statistics, we can see that the name Elma has had varying popularity over the years in the United States.
The earliest data available starts from 1880 with 28 births recorded for the year. The number of births increased gradually over the next few decades, reaching a peak of 659 births in 1918. This trend continued until the late 1920s and early 1930s, with over 200 births per year.
However, from the mid-1930s onwards, there was a significant decrease in the popularity of the name Elma. The number of births dropped below 100 annually and continued to decline further throughout the following decades.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, there were fewer than 50 births per year with only 23 births recorded in 1982. This trend persisted until the mid-1990s when the number of births started to fluctuate slightly but remained relatively low.
In recent years, the popularity of the name Elma has shown some signs of revival. After falling to a low of 18 births in 2020, there was an increase to 32 births in both 2021 and 2022, suggesting that the name may be experiencing a resurgence in popularity among parents.
In total, from 1880 to 2023, there have been 21637 births of the name Elma recorded in the United States.