Thelma

#4,661 for girls in 2025, 29 births · Last seen for boys in 1969 at #4,404
Given to girls 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1910 · 2,976 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
42 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
225,460
since 1880

Thelma over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201927peak #25, 1910girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#4,66129—
2024#4,29433—
2023#5,39023—
2022#5,02826—
2021#4,32632—
2020#4,75727—
2019#5,61222—
2018#4,88927—
2017#5,04526—
2016#4,42332—
2015#4,98127—
2014#5,31025—
2013#6,46219—
2012#5,11427—
2011#8,19614—
2010#6,38220—
2009#4,26935—
2008#4,88230—
2007#5,09728—
2006#4,26534—
2005#3,50942—
2004#4,38731—
2003#3,53240—
2002#4,07131—
2001#2,60058—
2000#2,85450—
1999#2,81248—
1998#2,27962—
1997#2,93441—
1996#2,59148—
1995#1,80279—
1994#1,99970—
1993#1,94272—
1992#1,68889—
1991#1,70286—
1990#1,61792—
1989#1,50695—
1988#1,56484—
1987#1,42492—
1986#1,282105—
1985#1,318101—
1984#1,126122—
1983#1,127119—
1982#972152—
1981#964152—
1980#994148—
1979#905164—
1978#858171—
1977#774195—
1976#750193—
1975#736198—
1974#641238—
1973#682219—
1972#665225—
1971#606281—
1970#621274—
1969#554318#4,4045
1968#480400—
1967#481388—
1966#425475—
1965#379579—
1964#371655—
1963#353720#3,3187
1962#345752#4,0335
1961#339772#4,0655
1960#326835#3,3377
1959#305899—
1958#316847#3,5596
1957#291967—
1956#2541,078—
1955#2461,105#2,43511
1954#2281,241#2,9428
1953#2231,295#3,7985
1952#2091,358#3,3736
1951#1891,528—
1950#1871,458—
1949#1721,625#2,6069
1948#1631,763#2,44310
1947#1531,902#2,25112
1946#1501,794#2,6908
1945#1311,853#3,3385
1944#1311,997#1,89014
1943#1272,210#2,18212
1942#1212,257#2,04213
1941#1082,367#2,33310
1940#1012,461#2,17911
1939#882,696#1,35924
1938#862,866#1,74116
1937#783,062#1,57619
1936#743,196#1,16932
1935#763,190#1,16532
1934#653,646#1,21330
1933#573,636#1,33025
1932#514,272#1,32427
1931#534,440#1,11137
1930#455,250#1,21534
1929#415,476#1,23732
1928#405,978#1,25433
1927#386,303#1,43627
1926#366,585#1,19236
1925#356,823#1,09141
1924#337,316#1,05845
1923#317,379#1,35829
1922#317,254#1,43427
1921#307,839#1,29632
1920#317,814#1,27332
1919#317,558#1,04742
1918#327,740#1,01244
1917#327,245#1,29128
1916#297,290#1,20630
1915#306,762#1,24128
1914#265,496#1,22123
1913#264,595#91429
1912#264,183#1,02320
1911#273,166#98212
1910#252,976#72917
1909#262,612#84012
1908#262,526#1,0218
1907#282,339#73513
1906#312,114#70912
1905#361,945#78610
1904#371,757#8109
1903#471,479#7839
1902#521,309#1,0136
1901#571,090—
1900#731,094—
1899#78736—
1898#99605—
1897#117419#9426
1896#167260#1,1015
1895#205173—
1894#33370—
1893#41442—
1892#47133—
1891#51425—
1890#55822—
1889#51624—
1888#66315—
1887#9377—
1886#65712—
1885——
1884#8517—
1883#8176—
1882——
1881——
1880#8365—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Thelma was already there! It came in at #836, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1882, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Thelma is popular in 1927

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedAKMaine: #56 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 199 girlsMEVermont: #37 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 122 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #59 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 184 girlsNHWashington: #76 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 301 girlsWAIdaho: #24 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 119 girlsIDMontana: #55 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 193 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #93 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 298 girlsNDMinnesota: #117 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 553 girlsMNIllinois: #80 for girls · 170 births · 1 in 348 girlsILWisconsin: #123 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 698 girlsWIMichigan: #51 for girls · 206 births · 1 in 203 girlsMINew York: #83 for girls · 306 births · 1 in 329 girlsNYMassachusetts: #65 for girls · 131 births · 1 in 262 girlsMARhode Island: #86 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 315 girlsRIOregon: #55 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 215 girlsORNevada: #14 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 40 girlsNVWyoming: #69 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 211 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #67 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 221 girlsSDIowa: #59 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 243 girlsIAIndiana: #34 for girls · 163 births · 1 in 161 girlsINOhio: #36 for girls · 334 births · 1 in 165 girlsOHPennsylvania: #46 for girls · 492 births · 1 in 187 girlsPANew Jersey: #83 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 338 girlsNJConnecticut: #128 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 629 girlsCTCalifornia: #68 for girls · 118 births · 1 in 312 girlsCAUtah: #41 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 180 girlsUTColorado: #65 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 241 girlsCONebraska: #94 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 378 girlsNEMissouri: #30 for girls · 200 births · 1 in 151 girlsMOKentucky: #17 for girls · 277 births · 1 in 106 girlsKYWest Virginia: #20 for girls · 167 births · 1 in 122 girlsWVVirginia: #14 for girls · 315 births · 1 in 82 girlsVAMaryland: #21 for girls · 123 births · 1 in 113 girlsMDDelaware: #25 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 105 girlsDEArizona: #49 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 191 girlsAZNew Mexico: #116 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 381 girlsNMKansas: #35 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 171 girlsKSArkansas: #21 for girls · 175 births · 1 in 116 girlsARTennessee: #22 for girls · 235 births · 1 in 119 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #21 for girls · 329 births · 1 in 119 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #17 for girls · 234 births · 1 in 93 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #22 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 103 girlsDCOklahoma: #22 for girls · 195 births · 1 in 127 girlsOKLouisiana: #22 for girls · 204 births · 1 in 116 girlsLAMississippi: #37 for girls · 149 births · 1 in 159 girlsMSAlabama: #30 for girls · 228 births · 1 in 145 girlsALGeorgia: #21 for girls · 292 births · 1 in 112 girlsGAHawaii: #31 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 148 girlsHITexas: #32 for girls · 297 births · 1 in 204 girlsTXFlorida: #17 for girls · 161 births · 1 in 99 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Nevada#14 · 1 in 40
  2. Virginia#14 · 1 in 82
  3. South Carolina#17 · 1 in 93
  4. Florida#17 · 1 in 99
  5. Kentucky#17 · 1 in 106

Best ever in a state: #5 in Utah, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Nevada#1471 in 40
Virginia#143151 in 82
Florida#171611 in 99
Kentucky#172771 in 106
South Carolina#172341 in 93
West Virginia#201671 in 122
Arkansas#211751 in 116
Georgia#212921 in 112
Maryland#211231 in 113
North Carolina#213291 in 119
District of Columbia#22351 in 103
Louisiana#222041 in 116
Oklahoma#221951 in 127
Tennessee#222351 in 119
Idaho#24291 in 119
Delaware#25151 in 105
Alabama#302281 in 145
Missouri#302001 in 151
Hawaii#31251 in 148
Texas#322971 in 204
Indiana#341631 in 161
Kansas#35881 in 171
Ohio#363341 in 165
Mississippi#371491 in 159
Vermont#37201 in 122
Utah#41261 in 180
Pennsylvania#464921 in 187
Arizona#49201 in 191
Michigan#512061 in 203
Montana#55191 in 193
Oregon#55261 in 215
Maine#56321 in 199
Iowa#59811 in 243
New Hampshire#59181 in 184
Colorado#65351 in 241
Massachusetts#651311 in 262
South Dakota#67241 in 221
California#681181 in 312
Wyoming#6971 in 211
Washington#76311 in 301
Illinois#801701 in 348
New Jersey#83921 in 338
New York#833061 in 329
Rhode Island#86171 in 315
North Dakota#93211 in 298
Nebraska#94301 in 378
New Mexico#116111 in 381
Minnesota#117381 in 553
Wisconsin#123351 in 698
Connecticut#128191 in 629
Alaska———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Thelma
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 367 spots since 2024 (#4,294 → #4,661)
  • 96 spots since 2020 (#4,757 → #4,661)
  • 320 spots since 2015 (#4,981 → #4,661)
  • Biggest jump: 274 spots in 1888 (#937 → #663)
  • Biggest drop: 280 spots in 1887 (#657 → #937)
Rise & fade · girls
30 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1910 at #25 (2,976 births)
  • Births halved by 1950, 40 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 42 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 42 yrs · run 1898–1939
  • Top 1,000: 100 yrs · run 1886–1982
Share of babies · girls
1 in 132
  • Highest: 1 in 132 girls born in 1911 were named Thelma (0.76%)
  • Latest: 1 in 55,423 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #25 in 1910, was only 1 in 133 (0.75%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 30.5% of all girls named Thelma (68,767) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s76#516 (1889)#754
1890s2,385#78 (1899)#296
1900s18,265#26 (1909)#41
1910s57,011#25 (1910)#28
1920s68,767#30 (1921)#35
1930s36,254#45 (1930)#67
1940s20,229#101 (1940)#136
1950s11,776#187 (1950)#245
1960s5,894#326 (1960)#405
1970s2,158#606 (1971)#724
1980s1,170#964 (1981)#1,228
1990s687#1,617 (1990)#2,137
2000s379#2,600 (2001)#3,947
2010s239#4,423 (2016)#5,641
2020s170#4,294 (2024)#4,743

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Thelma in 1927

girls
#38
6,303 births · 1 in 189 girls
boys
#1,436
27 births · 1 in 41,738 boys

Top girls' names in 1927

  1. #1Mary70,642
  2. #2Dorothy35,993
  3. #3Betty35,424
  4. #4Helen25,316
  5. #5Margaret21,964
  6. #6Ruth19,412
  7. #7Doris16,512
  8. #8Virginia15,734
  9. #9Shirley13,314
  10. #10Barbara13,161
  11. #38Thelma6,303

Top boys' names in 1927

  1. #1Robert61,674
  2. #2John55,949
  3. #3James53,674
  4. #4William51,476
  5. #5Charles31,941
  6. #6Richard26,768
  7. #7George25,949
  8. #8Donald23,834
  9. #9Joseph23,503
  10. #10Edward19,115
  11. #1,436Thelma27
More about 1927

girls

1,192,431 girls got a published name in 1927; 1 in 189 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 99.3% of the 5,602 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #35Joyce6,684
  2. #36Annie6,562
  3. #37Gladys6,418
  4. #38Thelma6,303
  5. #39Josephine6,108
  6. #40Edna6,086
  7. #41Joan6,032
Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,708Charmaine#3,564 → #856
  2. ↑ 1,519Kazuko#2,474 → #955
  3. ↑ 1,152Valencia#2,076 → #924
  4. ↑ 551Cherie#1,414 → #863
  5. ↑ 452Lita#1,148 → #696
Fallers
  1. ↓ 349Janell#748 → #1,097
  2. ↓ 330Sabina#931 → #1,261
  3. ↓ 319Clarine#942 → #1,261
  4. ↓ 298Shirlie#980 → #1,278
  5. ↓ 291Delilah#836 → #1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,126,915 boys got a published name in 1927; 1 in 41,738 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 70.1% of the 4,802 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #1,407Thurmon28
  2. #1,407Wendel28
  3. #1,407Wray28
  4. #1,436Thelma27
  5. #1,436Adrien27
  6. #1,436Apolinar27
  7. #1,436Berlin27
  8. #1,468Amador26
  9. #1,468Anastacio26
  10. #1,468Ancil26

Tied with 31 names at #1,436; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,863Lindbergh#2,436 → #573
  2. ↑ 966Lindy#1,353 → #387
  3. ↑ 601Sonny#1,565 → #964
  4. ↑ 467Akira#1,404 → #937
  5. ↑ 442Maria#1,432 → #990
Fallers
  1. ↓ 684Minoru#963 → #1,647
  2. ↓ 611Reno#825 → #1,436
  3. ↓ 406Hurley#916 → #1,322
  4. ↓ 356Adelbert#842 → #1,198
  5. ↓ 330Gardner#963 → #1,293

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1927 →