Alma
A female given name from Latin, popular in the 19th century.
Every Alma since 1880 — 165,942 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alma
Alma is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #449 in 2025 with 689 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 165,942 American babies have been named Alma. Its peak came in 1918, when 3,702 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Alma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alma 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 | 689 | #449 | 7 | #9,766 |
| 2024 | 659 | #471 | 10 | #7,795 |
| 2023 | 666 | #461 | 5 | #12,337 |
| 2022 | 658 | #483 | — | — |
| 2021 | 613 | #507 | 6 | #10,864 |
| 2020 | 524 | #560 | 5 | #12,130 |
| 2019 | 491 | #615 | — | — |
| 2018 | 458 | #649 | 5 | #12,251 |
| 2017 | 455 | #651 | 11 | #7,115 |
| 2016 | 392 | #724 | 8 | #8,866 |
| 2015 | 417 | #684 | 9 | #8,066 |
| 2014 | 421 | #675 | — | — |
| 2013 | 402 | #701 | 8 | #8,830 |
| 2012 | 313 | #852 | 6 | #10,846 |
| 2011 | 298 | #876 | 6 | #10,867 |
| 2010 | 318 | #844 | — | — |
| 2009 | 349 | #811 | 5 | #12,570 |
| 2008 | 369 | #789 | 6 | #11,103 |
| 2007 | 415 | #701 | 5 | #12,446 |
| 2006 | 475 | #614 | 10 | #7,447 |
| 2005 | 481 | #591 | — | — |
| 2004 | 453 | #608 | 9 | #7,558 |
| 2003 | 421 | #636 | 8 | #7,873 |
| 2002 | 515 | #532 | 7 | #8,487 |
| 2001 | 527 | #512 | 11 | #6,028 |
| 2000 | 548 | #491 | 8 | #7,455 |
| 1995 | 583 | #440 | 10 | #5,518 |
| 1990 | 685 | #386 | 15 | #3,785 |
| 1985 | 549 | #409 | 14 | #3,220 |
| 1980 | 658 | #358 | 20 | #2,446 |
| 1975 | 520 | #391 | 21 | #2,136 |
| 1970 | 534 | #420 | 12 | #2,741 |
| 1965 | 551 | #397 | 15 | #2,086 |
| 1960 | 788 | #334 | 8 | #3,083 |
| 1955 | 963 | #277 | 14 | #2,140 |
| 1950 | 1,052 | #232 | 7 | #3,028 |
| 1945 | 1,081 | #188 | 9 | #2,397 |
| 1940 | 1,428 | #152 | 9 | #2,482 |
| 1935 | 1,679 | #132 | 30 | #1,226 |
| 1930 | 2,380 | #109 | 29 | #1,332 |
| 1925 | 2,996 | #94 | 32 | #1,279 |
| 1920 | 3,584 | #80 | 39 | #1,139 |
| 1915 | 3,248 | #70 | 40 | #996 |
| 1910 | 1,630 | #61 | 9 | #1,119 |
| 1905 | 1,333 | #56 | 10 | #787 |
| 1900 | 1,372 | #57 | 13 | #700 |
| 1895 | 1,144 | #55 | 16 | #503 |
| 1890 | 922 | #57 | 11 | #605 |
| 1885 | 515 | #68 | 10 | #606 |
| 1880 | 277 | #82 | 14 | #483 |
Famous people named Alma
- Alma Mahler Composer · 1879–1964
- Alma Reville Writer · 1899–1982
- Alma Karlin Writer · 1889–1950
- Alma Cogan Singer · 1932–1966
- Alma Richards Athlete · 1890–1963
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alma mean?
A female given name from Latin, popular in the 19th century.
How popular is the name Alma in 2025?
Alma ranked #449 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 689 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alma?
165,942 babies have been named Alma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alma most popular?
Alma peaked in 1918, when 3,702 newborns received the name.
Is Alma a boy or girl name?
Alma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alma rising or falling?
Alma is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alma?
Well-known people named Alma include Alma Mahler (composer), Alma Reville (writer), Alma Karlin (writer).