Girl · #439 in 2026

Alma

Alma or /'ælmə/) is an English feminine given name, but has historically been used in the masculine form as well, sometimes in the form Almo.

Current Rank
#439
Peak Rank
#51 (1918)
Total Babies
164K
5-Yr Trend
+33%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1918
Peak Year
#51
Peak Rank
164K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Alma

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Alma or /'ælmə/) is an English feminine given name, but has historically been used in the masculine form as well, sometimes in the form Almo.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
The exact origin of the name Alma is debated (cf. Hanks/Hodges 1990:'of uncertain origin'), but it is most likely derived in the female form from the Latin word almus , which means "kind", "fostering", or "nourishing". Drosdowski (1974) differentiates between two different names: one derived from Spanish, the other derived from Germanic names with the element 'Amal'. It has been most familiarized by its use in the term alma mater , which means "fostering mother", or "nourishing mother", and in modern times is most associated with a collegiate hymn or song, or to encompass the years in which a

The Story of Alma

Alma first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 277 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 3,650 Almas were born — ranking #73 that year. As of 2026, Alma ranks #439 for baby girls with 702 births, rising sharply (+33% over the past five years). In total, more than 164K Almas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Alma

Phonetically similar names — useful when Alma is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alma

What does the name Alma mean?
Alma or /'ælmə/) is an English feminine given name, but has historically been used in the masculine form as well, sometimes in the form Almo.
How popular is Alma in 2026?
In 2026, Alma ranks #439 among girls' names in the U.S., with 702 babies given the name that year.
When was Alma most popular?
Alma reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #51 that year with 3,650 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Alma most popular?
Alma has historically been most popular in Florida, South Dakota, Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Alma.
Is Alma a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Alma is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Alma?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Alma include Sophie, Jo, Delores. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Sophie
Peak #51
👧
Jo
Peak #51
👧
Delores
Peak #51
👧
Kristy
Peak #51
👧
Rosa
Peak #52
👧
Mae
Peak #52
👧
Anne
Peak #52
👧
Sylvia
Peak #50

About the name Alma

Alma is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 164K births in the dataset. Alma's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #51. Use the chart and map above to compare Alma's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.