Thelma
A female given name originating as a coinage.
Every Thelma since 1880 — 226,602 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Thelma
Thelma is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,745 in 2025 with 29 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 226,602 American babies have been named Thelma. Its peak came in 1921, when 7,871 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 Thelma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Thelma 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 | 29 | #4,745 | — | — |
| 2024 | 33 | #4,376 | — | — |
| 2023 | 23 | #5,536 | — | — |
| 2022 | 26 | #5,162 | — | — |
| 2021 | 32 | #4,403 | — | — |
| 2020 | 27 | #4,867 | — | — |
| 2019 | 22 | #5,781 | — | — |
| 2018 | 27 | #4,997 | — | — |
| 2017 | 26 | #5,177 | — | — |
| 2016 | 32 | #4,523 | — | — |
| 2015 | 27 | #5,114 | — | — |
| 2014 | 25 | #5,441 | — | — |
| 2013 | 19 | #6,705 | — | — |
| 2012 | 27 | #5,242 | — | — |
| 2011 | 14 | #8,584 | — | — |
| 2010 | 20 | #6,609 | — | — |
| 2009 | 35 | #4,361 | — | — |
| 2008 | 30 | #4,999 | — | — |
| 2007 | 28 | #5,218 | — | — |
| 2006 | 34 | #4,355 | — | — |
| 2005 | 42 | #3,579 | — | — |
| 2004 | 31 | #4,486 | — | — |
| 2003 | 40 | #3,584 | — | — |
| 2002 | 31 | #4,173 | — | — |
| 2001 | 58 | #2,632 | — | — |
| 2000 | 50 | #2,901 | — | — |
| 1995 | 79 | #1,817 | — | — |
| 1990 | 92 | #1,632 | — | — |
| 1985 | 101 | #1,322 | — | — |
| 1980 | 148 | #994 | — | — |
| 1975 | 198 | #737 | — | — |
| 1970 | 274 | #623 | — | — |
| 1965 | 579 | #380 | — | — |
| 1960 | 835 | #326 | 7 | #3,631 |
| 1955 | 1,105 | #246 | 11 | #2,540 |
| 1950 | 1,458 | #187 | — | — |
| 1945 | 1,853 | #131 | 5 | #3,731 |
| 1940 | 2,461 | #101 | 11 | #2,307 |
| 1935 | 3,190 | #76 | 32 | #1,191 |
| 1930 | 5,250 | #45 | 34 | #1,231 |
| 1925 | 6,823 | #35 | 41 | #1,106 |
| 1920 | 7,814 | #31 | 32 | #1,297 |
| 1915 | 6,762 | #30 | 28 | #1,260 |
| 1910 | 2,976 | #25 | 17 | #751 |
| 1905 | 1,945 | #36 | 10 | #833 |
| 1900 | 1,094 | #73 | — | — |
| 1895 | 173 | #205 | — | — |
| 1890 | 22 | #568 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | 5 | #936 | — | — |
Famous people named Thelma
- Thelma Schoonmaker Politician · b. 1940
- Thelma Ritter Actor · 1902–1969
- Thelma Todd Actor · 1906–1935
- Thelma Houston Singer · b. 1946
- Thelma Coyne Long Tennis player · 1918–2015
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Thelma mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage.
How popular is the name Thelma in 2025?
Thelma ranked #4,745 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 29 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Thelma?
226,602 babies have been named Thelma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Thelma most popular?
Thelma peaked in 1921, when 7,871 newborns received the name.
Is Thelma a boy or girl name?
Thelma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Thelma rising or falling?
Thelma is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Thelma?
Well-known people named Thelma include Thelma Schoonmaker (politician), Thelma Ritter (actor), Thelma Todd (actor).