Velma
#5,722 for girls in 2025, 21 births · Last seen for boys in 1955 at #2,558
Given to girls 99.5% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1912 · 1,403 births
- Debut · girls
- 16 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 14 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 86,752since 1880
Velma over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #5,722 | 21 | — | |
| 2024 | #7,967 | 13 | — | |
| 2023 | #5,549 | 22 | — | |
| 2022 | #5,172 | 25 | — | |
| 2021 | #7,250 | 15 | — | |
| 2020 | #7,212 | 15 | — | |
| 2019 | #7,716 | 14 | — | |
| 2018 | #5,785 | 21 | — | |
| 2017 | #11,615 | 8 | — | |
| 2016 | #12,876 | 7 | — | |
| 2015 | #14,482 | 6 | — | |
| 2014 | #8,485 | 13 | — | |
| 2013 | #11,000 | 9 | — | |
| 2012 | #16,869 | 5 | — | |
| 2011 | #7,783 | 15 | — | |
| 2010 | #11,246 | 9 | — | |
| 2009 | #10,679 | 10 | — | |
| 2008 | #15,405 | 6 | — | |
| 2007 | #17,636 | 5 | — | |
| 2006 | #11,417 | 9 | — | |
| 2005 | #13,010 | 7 | — | |
| 2004 | #7,828 | 14 | — | |
| 2003 | #9,048 | 11 | — | |
| 2002 | #7,444 | 14 | — | |
| 2001 | #10,102 | 9 | — | |
| 2000 | #8,027 | 12 | — | |
| 1999 | #7,716 | 12 | — | |
| 1998 | #6,073 | 16 | — | |
| 1997 | #7,742 | 11 | — | |
| 1996 | #7,130 | 12 | — | |
| 1995 | #6,641 | 13 | — | |
| 1994 | #5,016 | 19 | — | |
| 1993 | #4,826 | 20 | — | |
| 1992 | #6,008 | 15 | — | |
| 1991 | #2,886 | 40 | — | |
| 1990 | #3,297 | 33 | — | |
| 1989 | #3,253 | 32 | — | |
| 1988 | #2,803 | 37 | — | |
| 1987 | #2,493 | 41 | — | |
| 1986 | #2,344 | 43 | — | |
| 1985 | #2,704 | 35 | — | |
| 1984 | #2,018 | 50 | — | |
| 1983 | #1,887 | 55 | — | |
| 1982 | #1,850 | 58 | — | |
| 1981 | #1,455 | 83 | — | |
| 1980 | #1,518 | 78 | — | |
| 1979 | #1,503 | 78 | — | |
| 1978 | #1,397 | 83 | — | |
| 1977 | #1,451 | 76 | — | |
| 1976 | #1,191 | 95 | — | |
| 1975 | #1,229 | 93 | — | |
| 1974 | #1,070 | 110 | — | |
| 1973 | #933 | 131 | — | |
| 1972 | #993 | 120 | — | |
| 1971 | #828 | 167 | — | |
| 1970 | #781 | 181 | — | |
| 1969 | #731 | 191 | — | |
| 1968 | #651 | 222 | — | |
| 1967 | #577 | 273 | — | |
| 1966 | #546 | 299 | — | |
| 1965 | #499 | 362 | — | |
| 1964 | #487 | 395 | — | |
| 1963 | #478 | 407 | — | |
| 1962 | #445 | 464 | — | |
| 1961 | #428 | 524 | — | |
| 1960 | #406 | 559 | — | |
| 1959 | #400 | 550 | — | |
| 1958 | #416 | 502 | — | |
| 1957 | #352 | 668 | — | |
| 1956 | #332 | 692 | — | |
| 1955 | #338 | 634 | #2,558 | 10 |
| 1954 | #309 | 749 | #3,827 | 5 |
| 1953 | #304 | 737 | — | |
| 1952 | #300 | 706 | — | |
| 1951 | #277 | 798 | — | |
| 1950 | #267 | 825 | — | |
| 1949 | #272 | 798 | #3,298 | 6 |
| 1948 | #254 | 871 | — | |
| 1947 | #259 | 848 | — | |
| 1946 | #242 | 875 | #3,173 | 6 |
| 1945 | #223 | 861 | #2,743 | 7 |
| 1944 | #211 | 935 | #2,195 | 11 |
| 1943 | #201 | 1,046 | — | |
| 1942 | #196 | 1,052 | — | |
| 1941 | #188 | 1,000 | — | |
| 1940 | #188 | 986 | #2,671 | 8 |
| 1939 | #178 | 1,068 | #3,480 | 5 |
| 1938 | #174 | 1,160 | #2,326 | 10 |
| 1937 | #164 | 1,218 | #3,518 | 5 |
| 1936 | #167 | 1,180 | #2,184 | 11 |
| 1935 | #147 | 1,352 | #2,029 | 13 |
| 1934 | #144 | 1,426 | #2,563 | 9 |
| 1933 | #137 | 1,481 | #2,738 | 8 |
| 1932 | #133 | 1,689 | #1,465 | 23 |
| 1931 | #131 | 1,758 | #2,471 | 10 |
| 1930 | #127 | 1,918 | #1,964 | 15 |
| 1929 | #128 | 1,930 | #2,096 | 14 |
| 1928 | #114 | 2,290 | #2,270 | 13 |
| 1927 | #118 | 2,285 | #2,523 | 11 |
| 1926 | #124 | 2,120 | #1,846 | 18 |
| 1925 | #128 | 2,177 | #1,628 | 22 |
| 1924 | #123 | 2,272 | #1,776 | 20 |
| 1923 | #116 | 2,337 | #2,446 | 12 |
| 1922 | #113 | 2,367 | #2,801 | 10 |
| 1921 | #108 | 2,606 | #3,517 | 7 |
| 1920 | #105 | 2,491 | #1,885 | 18 |
| 1919 | #104 | 2,341 | #1,576 | 22 |
| 1918 | #103 | 2,439 | #2,260 | 13 |
| 1917 | #98 | 2,411 | #2,423 | 11 |
| 1916 | #99 | 2,319 | #2,389 | 11 |
| 1915 | #94 | 2,287 | #2,184 | 12 |
| 1914 | #92 | 1,795 | #2,457 | 8 |
| 1913 | #89 | 1,556 | #1,441 | 14 |
| 1912 | #88 | 1,403 | #2,544 | 5 |
| 1911 | #90 | 1,045 | #1,290 | 8 |
| 1910 | #90 | 1,035 | #1,193 | 8 |
| 1909 | #92 | 857 | #1,083 | 8 |
| 1908 | #90 | 860 | #1,217 | 6 |
| 1907 | #90 | 854 | #1,200 | 6 |
| 1906 | #94 | 721 | — | |
| 1905 | #94 | 722 | — | |
| 1904 | #101 | 615 | #1,064 | 6 |
| 1903 | #99 | 589 | — | |
| 1902 | #113 | 526 | — | |
| 1901 | #130 | 388 | #1,058 | 5 |
| 1900 | #141 | 426 | — | |
| 1899 | #139 | 334 | — | |
| 1898 | #152 | 331 | — | |
| 1897 | #160 | 280 | — | |
| 1896 | #174 | 249 | — | |
| 1895 | #188 | 208 | — | |
| 1894 | #189 | 196 | — | |
| 1893 | #201 | 156 | — | |
| 1892 | #212 | 146 | — | |
| 1891 | #236 | 103 | — | |
| 1890 | #254 | 96 | — | |
| 1889 | #281 | 72 | — | |
| 1888 | #286 | 67 | — | |
| 1887 | #274 | 59 | — | |
| 1886 | #371 | 33 | — | |
| 1885 | #354 | 32 | — | |
| 1884 | #479 | 18 | — | |
| 1883 | #366 | 25 | — | |
| 1882 | #446 | 17 | — | |
| 1881 | #384 | 19 | — | |
| 1880 | #421 | 16 | — | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Velma was already there! It came in at #421, and was given to 16 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 2007–2008, when fewer than 7 girls a year got the name.
Where Velma is popular in 1940
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Mississippi#78 · 1 in 314
- Louisiana#87 · 1 in 316
- Arkansas#89 · 1 in 382
- Oklahoma#109 · 1 in 517
- New Mexico#122 · 1 in 419
Best ever in a state: #12 in Kansas, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #78 | 72 | 1 in 314 |
| Louisiana | #87 | 74 | 1 in 316 |
| Arkansas | #89 | 50 | 1 in 382 |
| Oklahoma | #109 | 39 | 1 in 517 |
| New Mexico | #122 | 14 | 1 in 419 |
| Kansas | #124 | 20 | 1 in 615 |
| Tennessee | #125 | 45 | 1 in 626 |
| Texas | #125 | 107 | 1 in 562 |
| Missouri | #129 | 39 | 1 in 717 |
| Alabama | #135 | 51 | 1 in 579 |
| West Virginia | #139 | 27 | 1 in 701 |
| Florida | #158 | 23 | 1 in 644 |
| Kentucky | #159 | 36 | 1 in 796 |
| North Carolina | #164 | 45 | 1 in 837 |
| Virginia | #171 | 28 | 1 in 883 |
| Montana | #172 | 5 | 1 in 856 |
| District of Columbia | #188 | 5 | 1 in 1,226 |
| Georgia | #191 | 33 | 1 in 962 |
| Maine | #193 | 5 | 1 in 1,231 |
| Iowa | #197 | 13 | 1 in 1,517 |
| Illinois | #199 | 34 | 1 in 1,655 |
| Michigan | #200 | 26 | 1 in 1,682 |
| Nebraska | #204 | 6 | 1 in 1,542 |
| Colorado | #205 | 8 | 1 in 1,136 |
| Ohio | #205 | 31 | 1 in 1,700 |
| Indiana | #218 | 14 | 1 in 1,918 |
| Maryland | #218 | 8 | 1 in 1,625 |
| Arizona | #220 | 5 | 1 in 969 |
| Pennsylvania | #254 | 32 | 1 in 2,344 |
| California | #286 | 24 | 1 in 2,080 |
| South Carolina | #297 | 10 | 1 in 2,190 |
| Massachusetts | #337 | 5 | 1 in 5,877 |
| Wisconsin | #340 | 5 | 1 in 4,837 |
| New York | #446 | 13 | 1 in 6,901 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
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 Velma
- 2,245 spots since 2024 (#7,967 → #5,722)
- 1,490 spots since 2020 (#7,212 → #5,722)
- 8,760 spots since 2015 (#14,482 → #5,722)
- Biggest jump: 125 spots in 1885 (#479 → #354)
- Biggest drop: 165 spots in 1972 (#828 → #993)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1912 at #88 (1,403 births)
- Births halved by 1955, 43 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 14 yrs · run 1905–1917
- Top 1,000: 94 yrs · run 1880–1973
- Highest: 1 in 373 girls born in 1907 were named Velma (0.27%)
- Latest: 1 in 76,537 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
- Its best rank, #88 in 1912, was only 1 in 398 (0.25%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 26.4% of all girls named Velma (22,875) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 358 | #274 (1887) | #366 |
| 1890s | 2,099 | #139 (1899) | #191 |
| 1900s | 6,558 | #90 (1908) | #104 |
| 1910s | 18,631 | #88 (1912) | #95 |
| 1920s | 22,875 | #105 (1920) | #118 |
| 1930s | 14,250 | #127 (1930) | #150 |
| 1940s | 9,272 | #188 (1941) | #223 |
| 1950s | 6,861 | #267 (1950) | #330 |
| 1960s | 3,696 | #406 (1960) | #525 |
| 1970s | 1,134 | #781 (1970) | #1,138 |
| 1980s | 512 | #1,455 (1981) | #2,233 |
| 1990s | 191 | #2,886 (1991) | #5,734 |
| 2000s | 97 | #7,444 (2002) | #11,060 |
| 2010s | 107 | #5,785 (2018) | #10,786 |
| 2020s | 111 | #5,172 (2022) | #6,479 |
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.
Velma in 1940
Top girls' names in 1940
Top boys' names in 1940
More about 1940
girls
1,143,528 girls got a published name in 1940; 1 in 1,160 of them was named Velma, which outranked 96.3% of the 5,028 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,159,172 boys got a published name in 1940; 1 in 144,897 of them was named Velma, which outranked 32.2% of the 3,937 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #2,478Winnie9
- #2,478Woodford9
- #2,478Ygnacio9
- #2,671Velma8
- #2,671Alger8
- #2,671Ali8
- #2,671Alven8
- #2,871Acey7
- #2,871Adalberto7
- #2,871Adelard7
Tied with 199 names at #2,671; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.