Irma
From German Irma in the nineteenth century.
Every Irma since 1880 — 74,021 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Irma
Irma is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,181 in 2025 with 50 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 74,021 American babies have been named Irma. Its peak came in 1920, when 1,393 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Irma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Irma year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50 | #3,181 | — | — |
| 2024 | 68 | #2,592 | — | — |
| 2023 | 68 | #2,600 | — | — |
| 2022 | 70 | #2,539 | — | — |
| 2021 | 60 | #2,835 | — | — |
| 2020 | 69 | #2,510 | — | — |
| 2019 | 44 | #3,524 | — | — |
| 2018 | 52 | #3,130 | — | — |
| 2017 | 71 | #2,521 | — | — |
| 2016 | 71 | #2,526 | — | — |
| 2015 | 67 | #2,663 | — | — |
| 2014 | 67 | #2,626 | — | — |
| 2013 | 48 | #3,339 | — | — |
| 2012 | 63 | #2,784 | — | — |
| 2011 | 72 | #2,518 | — | — |
| 2010 | 81 | #2,350 | — | — |
| 2009 | 97 | #2,093 | — | — |
| 2008 | 111 | #1,906 | — | — |
| 2007 | 106 | #1,946 | — | — |
| 2006 | 129 | #1,645 | — | — |
| 2005 | 119 | #1,676 | — | — |
| 2004 | 151 | #1,383 | — | — |
| 2003 | 156 | #1,322 | — | — |
| 2002 | 162 | #1,239 | — | — |
| 2001 | 152 | #1,286 | — | — |
| 2000 | 165 | #1,206 | — | — |
| 1995 | 197 | #953 | — | — |
| 1990 | 312 | #683 | 5 | #8,644 |
| 1985 | 211 | #793 | — | — |
| 1980 | 333 | #559 | — | — |
| 1975 | 429 | #451 | — | — |
| 1970 | 490 | #448 | — | — |
| 1965 | 728 | #334 | 5 | #4,157 |
| 1960 | 959 | #300 | — | — |
| 1955 | 949 | #279 | 6 | #3,685 |
| 1950 | 890 | #255 | — | — |
| 1945 | 682 | #258 | — | — |
| 1940 | 749 | #223 | 10 | #2,396 |
| 1935 | 837 | #204 | 6 | #3,438 |
| 1930 | 1,084 | #180 | 6 | #3,792 |
| 1925 | 1,230 | #177 | 8 | #3,266 |
| 1920 | 1,393 | #164 | — | — |
| 1915 | 1,310 | #142 | 5 | #4,087 |
| 1910 | 547 | #149 | — | — |
| 1905 | 428 | #141 | — | — |
| 1900 | 326 | #168 | — | — |
| 1895 | 247 | #170 | — | — |
| 1890 | 154 | #191 | — | — |
| 1885 | 69 | #241 | — | — |
| 1880 | 30 | #285 | — | — |
Famous people named Irma
- Irma Grese Politician · 1923–1945
- Irma Thomas Singer · b. 1941
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Irma mean?
From German Irma in the nineteenth century.
How popular is the name Irma in 2025?
Irma ranked #3,181 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 50 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Irma?
74,021 babies have been named Irma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Irma most popular?
Irma peaked in 1920, when 1,393 newborns received the name.
Is Irma a boy or girl name?
Irma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Irma rising or falling?
Irma has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Irma?
Well-known people named Irma include Irma Grese (politician), Irma Thomas (singer).